Age of Darkness Suikoden AU
by TedIsMyHero
Summary: Suikoden V SPOILERS. A year after the War and events surrounding Suikoden V, Prince Faroush and the rest of his companions discover a new threat to Falena and the entire world of Suikoden. March 29, 2007...extra info added! Reviews encouraged!
1. Prologue

SUIKODEN V AU

AGE OF DARKNESS

**This story is not endorsed by Konami. I do not own Suikoden, nor do I claim to. Nor do I claim any of the characters within the story as my own. However the story itself is a product of my own creativity.**

PROLOGUE

Streaks of golden light angled through the window seemingly focused on the headboard of the ornately adorned bed.

The luminescence of morning permeated the Prince's eyelids. His eyes, already acknowledging the superiority of the sun, were squinted as he sat up.

Faroush stretched as far as he could. Every inch he stretched brought restful bliss to every inch of his tested muscles.

He peered out the window to behold the magnificent sight of Sol-Falena.

Sunlight glistened off of the water as travelers and merchants alike hustled and bustled around the lakeside agoras. Thousands upon thousands of voices could be heard amongst the sounds of street shows and hammers clanging on anvils.

This was the fruit of the battle for the throne.

Faroush could hardly believe that it had already been a year since he and the Loyalist Army fought off the militaristic Godwin faction.

Suddenly the sunlight lost its energizing warmth as the memories of the final day of the conflict flooded his senses.

He could have exterminated the Godwin family, but by his good graces, he allowed Gizel to live. He couldn't say the same for Gizel's father, Marscal. After fleeing to the ruins in the Ashtwal Mountains, he maintained his position that the Sun Rune should be used as a tool to conquer the world. After Marscal merged with the rune, Faroush and his companions had no choice but to kill him.

The thought nearly made Faroush sick. He had taken the life of someone's father even after losing his own. Was it retribution? No, he didn't feel the need for revenge…yet the emotional wound was deep and unrelenting.

Gizel recovered nicely and had seemingly changed his ways. Without the constant influence of his father and the ruthless scheming of the Senate, he had progressed into what Sialeeds would call "his former self".

As a concession, Gizel had his marriage with Lymsleia annulled. He still wished to remain on staff inside Sol-Falena, however, since he did feel that he owed everything he currently had to the royal siblings.

Somehow, this didn't upset Faroush. Despite Gizel's earlier shortcomings, Faroush had sensed a sincere devotion from him during their duel. If he had wanted, the Godwin son could have disposed of Lymsleia at any time, yet he did what a Queen's Knight was charged with doing, and that's protecting his queen.

The one hesitation Faroush harbored as the interim Commander was Gizel's request to become a new Queen's Knight.

He was not sure of his intentions and sudden declaration of complete servitude…yet he was in dire need of new knights, especially since Alenia and Zahhak had perished, Galleon had retired to Lordlake, and Georg left for the Northern Continent.

What would he do?

"Oh Priiiiiiiiiiince!" a voice snapped him out of his daze.

He turned around to behold a beautiful girl clad in a bronze and gold breastplate and teal tunic underneath. Her purple hair bounced as she strode toward Faroush.

"What are you still doing in bed? Don't you realize how much of a hassle it is to take care of both you AND your sister?"

"Geez, Miakis, it's not like you have to dress me and hand feed me," Faroush replied with a smirk.

"Fine then, I suppose I'll find someone more important to have breakfast with the Queen," Miakis said as she turned up her nose.

Just as she took her eyes off of Faroush, he leapt out of bed and tackled her to the ground.

"OOOOMPH!"

"Remember what my father taught you. Never take your eyes off of your adversary," Faroush bragged.

Suddenly a pair of supple legs wrapped around his neck and pulled him back to the ground. Staring upwards, he now beheld Miakis' face.

"Yeah, remember what YOUR father taught YOU, never underestimate your opponent's abilities,"

"Touché," choked the Prince.

Miakis helped him to his feet.

"Now why do you get ready to eat, I'll meet you in the dining chamber," Miakis giggled as she left the room.

She had been so much help in the months after the conflict. She never failed to make Faroush smile. For that, he was forever thankful.

He had lost his mother, his father, and his most loyal friend, Lyon. It was as if his world had come undone, and the two marks on the backs of his palms were a constant reminder of what had happened. But Miakis was there through the good times as well as the bad times. It was just like the days before Lym came along. Whenever Faroush needed someone, Miakis was there.

He had always had a little crush on her, but when Lym was born, and when Lyon arrived in Sol-Falena with his father, a distance seemed to grow between he and Miakis. He felt as if his feelings for her still existed at a small magnitude, yet they were tucked away and hidden under his royal duty and responsibilities. After Miakis' sharply protested reassignment to Lym and Lyon's assignment as his bodyguard, Faroush developed new feelings. He was attracted to Lyon's innocence and sincerity, and was even more taken by her devotion displayed during the events of the war. After she was ripped away from his life, he would have felt a void, but Miakis was there, just waiting to catch him when he fell.

He loved her with all of his heart.

"PRIIIIIIIIIINCE!"

The familiar call once again broke him from his daze as he finished enrobing himself in his royal vestments.

"I'm coming, Miakis!" he yelled as he rushed out of his room and flung the door shut.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"What took you so long? I almost got up to come get you myself, but Kyle made me stay…plus I can't seem to get around in this stupid robe…"

"I hurried as quickly as I could, Lym," Faroush replied.

"Then you've really become slow. You used to be a lot faster," Lymsleia accused.

"He's still a lot faster than you are in that silly sheet," Miakis said as she tossed an oversized sleeve over Lym's face.

"HEY! STOP IT!" Lym shouted.

"You better watch out, Miakis, it looks like she takes after her aunt in the mornings," the blonde haired knight laughed, "If it weren't for my armor, I might be bruised and beaten already!"

"Hmph! It's only because you wouldn't let me see Brother!" Lymsleia shrugged as she crossed her arms forcefully.

"Mmmf wfff sa ffffmmffff," Faroush murmured as he stuffed a biscuit in his mouth.

Lym sat wide-eyed, seemingly shocked by the sight. Miakis and Kyle began to crack up.

"What's so funny? Royals aren't supposed to talk with their mouths full! It's not proper!" Lym shouted.

"It is kind of nice without a lot of adults around, but you know, we do have to grow up and try to keep this country afloat, speaking of which…" Faroush said as he cleared his throat.

"Yeah, speaking of which, we have to get the next Sacred Games organized. Since Gizel forfeited his position and had your marriage annulled, we've got to find you a new husband!" Miakis remarked.

Lymsleia sighed and rested her chin on her hands.

"I know, I know, it's just that I'm still tired from the last one. With everything that went wrong then, I'm kinda scared of what might happen with this one. I'd rather just go on without a husband…"

"But Lym, you realize how important it is that you try and stay with the traditions of the country, I mean, you ARE the queen you know," Faroush tried to reason despite sympathizing with his sister.

"I know, but really, what are traditions? Traditions aren't law, they're just guidelines. They're things that are recommended, but not required! We disbanded the Senate and created the Parliament instead, shouldn't some of the traditions have died along with all of those senseless bureaucrats?" Lymsleia protested.

"But Queen, the traditions imposed by the Senate are completely separate from the traditions of the throne; you can't just get rid of the Sacred Games!" Miakis explained.

"No…maybe not…but I do have an idea…What if I use the Sacred Games to select the Commander of my knights, but select my husband myself? I'm tired of being able to have a choice about everything except the man that I'm going to marry!" Lym stood and pressed down on the table.

"You know…I really think Her Majesty is on to something here," Kyle's eyebrow raised.

"I'm a little interested in her little proposal myself," Faroush said.

"But Prince, how will the people handle this? It will directly remove their ticket into the royal family," Miakis looked at Faroush with concern.

The Prince stood up and looked Miakis in the eyes. He took his hand and ran it across the top of her hair.

"I think it's a great idea, Miakis. I think everything will be fine. We have many allies in the Parliament, and I believe that they only want the best for my sister."

"I-if you think that it'll be fine, then I guess I'll have to trust you on that…"Miakis uttered as she bowed her head.

"Huh? Wha? You two! Is there something I don't know about?" Lym shouted from across the table.

"U-uh…no, Your Majesty! N-nothing!" Miakis blushed.

"Now Lym, what WOULD you do if I were to be attracted to Miakis?" Faroush prodded as he put his arm playfully around Miakis' waist.

"That's not fair, brother! She's supposed to be my bodyguard!" Lym protested.

"Well, as the acting Commander of the Queen's Knights, I hereby reassign her to be MY bodyguard. You can have Kyle," Faroush smirked.

Miakis' head shot up as she looked at the Prince with a gleam in her eyes.

"EEEEWWWWWW! NO WAY!"

"Aww, come on, Your Majesty, it'll be fun!" Kyle guffawed.

"I'm just kidding, Lym. I would do that in a heartbeat, but I think Miakis is about to have a little more on her plate than just guarding you. When I appoint new knights, she will be a senior knight, and I will have to look to her for leadership within the ranks. The same goes for Kyle. Chances are, after everything gets shuffled around, you'll end up with a new bodyguard," Faroush explained.

"Oh…I'm not sure I like that. Miakis has been like my sister, she's like my best friend…" Lymsleia pouted.

Faroush walked over and placed his hand on his sister's back.

"I know that, Lym, but even though she's not your bodyguard, you'll still be able to be close. She just won't be there to follow you around everywhere. She'll still be here to serve you and be your friend. You can trust me to find a suitable bodyguard for you, and besides, when you find a husband, it'll be his responsibility."

"That's right, Your Majesty. I'll be your friend no matter what. There's no way either of us could ever replace the things we've gone through together. I'll always be here for you!" Miakis said with her beaming smile.

"I guess it's settled then. Prince, I think it's best that we go meet with Talgeyl and the others in Parliament to discuss our new plans," Kyle recommended.

"That's fine. You and I will go, and Miakis can stay here and help our Queen with her morning studies," Faroush consented.

Lymsleia was quick to provide her brother with an intense "pbbbbbbbbt" from her tongue that sent tiny spit droplets onto his face, which prompted him to reply with his customary "Thanks, Lym, I did forget to shower this morning," response.

---------------------

The guards at the front doors hefted the massive golden structures open to reveal the nearly blinding beauty of the Falenan capital city. The bright white stone streets and buildings seemingly glistened in the summer sun.

"Commander Faroush, Your Majesty!" called out a voice, "You're exactly who I was looking for!"

"Toma?" Kyle blurted.

"So when do you think I can be a Queen's Knight, huh? Sir Galleon's been teaching me really well, but I'm not as good as he is with a spear. I kinda prefer a sword…but really, when do you want me to come and be a knight for you?" Toma unleashed a flurry of words.

"Slow down there, hotshot. You're still a little small to be a full-fledged Queen's Knight, but you're getting there. You've grown a lot in the past year. Now let's say once you get this tall, come and see me," Faroush said as he marked a line on a stone pillar with his short blade.

"That's not too much. I'll see you in a month or two then, Commander Faroush!" Toma measured himself against the mark, and then ran back toward the pier.

"What a spunky little kid," Kyle said.

"Yeah, he's a far cry from when we first found him in that forest. He could have easily been Ulse food had we showed up a minute later," Faroush remembered the day of his inspection of Lordlake. That was the fateful day when he realized that everything WASN'T okay. Since that time, however, Lordlake had returned to its former glory, once again a water-filled and lush green countryside.

"Ah! Prince Faroush and Sir Kyle! So wonderful to see you again!" an elderly man greeted.

"Chairperson Talgeyl, a pleasure to see you as well. I was just thinking of Lordlake!" Faroush saluted back with a handshake.

"What brings you to our chambers today, My Lord?" Talgeyl asked.

"We have a few things to discuss with you and the leaders of the Parliament. Some proposed changes to tradition and the way the country works," Faroush explained.

"I see…" Talgeyl frowned. His face contorted, exaggerating his skin that was wrinkled from age and wisdom.

"It's nothing incredibly drastic, Chancellor. It's mainly social and involving the royal family," Faroush reassured the elder statesman.

"Very well, Your Majesty. Please, come into our meeting room," Talgeyl nodded as he led the way to a room in the back of the Parliament building.

The building was much the same as it was for the Senate, but the debating floor itself had been renovated to where all of the members sat on equal ground, and no one person held rank over any other, save Talgeyl and his advisors. He was the Prime Minister in everything but the title.

"Wasil, Gunde, Muroon, Our Majesty Prince Faroush requires a brief meeting with us," Talgeyl announced as he and his entourage entered the meeting.

"Members of Parliament, trusted friends and allies, thank you for allowing me to be in your company today. If you don't mind, we can dispense with any normal formality. I, like my father, have a weak stomach for eccentricities," Faroush introduced.

"That's fine, Prince. What is the purpose of our meeting?" Wasil asked.

"I've recently talked to my sister, the Queen, about our country's traditions of Her Highness' marriage, as well as the selection of the Commander of the Queen's Knights," Faroush began, "And it is our wish that these traditions be modified."

"Ah, so these are the changes that you had mentioned…" Talgeyl said.

"Yes, Chancellor. My sister simply asks that she be granted one of the basic liberties of the average Falenan citizen: the freedom to choose her own husband," the Prince explained.

"But what will we do about the Sacred Games?" Gunde inquired as he stroked his beard, "Given, I've not been a fan of them myself, I'm sure the country as a whole would be disappointed to see them abolished completely."

"Point well taken, Elder Gunde. I've taken this into consideration as well. The Queen's husband will not take on the duties of the Commander of the Queen's Knights. We will retain the Sacred Games for this reason. It will serve as our method to select my successor, as well as give us a platform for recruiting new Queen's Knights," Faroush expounded.

"Yes, we do have a dire need for more Queen's Knights. After all, we're currently down to only three including Your Majesty," Muroon commented.

"Yeah, and he only has that many because he talked me into staying. And can you believe this guy, he says that he hates politics," Kyle jested and drew a smile from his commander.

"I suppose it's settled then. As the heads of the Falenan Parliament, we consent to your request, Your Majesty. Our Queen, the most important person in our country, should not be denied the everyday rights that are granted to all of our people. You shall also have your Sacred Games, although we ask that you let us also provide our input for selecting your knights. We may not be warriors, but we only hope that in our collective wisdom we can assist you in making prudent decisions for Our Majesty's protectors," Talgeyl acquiesced.

The Prince brought forth his most intense smile yet. He thought his mouth might actually tear from his face.

"I thank you, my statesmen, from the bottom of my heart. Our Majesty will be overjoyed at your benevolent decision," Faroush nearly choked on his happiness.

"I thought we had agreed to dispense with the niceties?" Wasil quipped.

"I apologize, Elder Wasil. I'm just extremely happy with your choice. I thank you again! Now I have to get back to tell Queen Lymsleia the wonderful news!" Faroush clamored as he rushed out of the room.

"He's still quite a jubilant young boy. I can already tell that his parents are watching proudly from the afterlife," Talgeyl smiled.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"REALLY! YAY! Thank you, Faroush! I'm so happy!" Lymsleia screamed as she jumped out of her throne and ran to hug her brother.

"I knew you would be! But now the preparations for the Sacred Games will fall squarely on my shoulders. I have much work to do, especially with spreading the word across Falena. I'm going to retire to my room so I can start planning. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to send someone, or to even come yourself," Faroush said.

"I'll probably come get you for lunch when it's time. I wouldn't even mind eating in your room, if that's fine with you, brother," Lym offered.

"I don't see a problem with it. One thing though, do you mind switching knights with me? I could really use Miakis' expertise and relations with Sauronix Castle in my preparations," Faroush requested.

"That's fine, I guess. As long as Kyle doesn't keep teasing me like he did while Miakis was gone earlier," Lym sighed.

"Kyle?" Faroush raised an eyebrow and shot a glance at the Rogue Knight.

"I promise, scouts…err…knight's honor," Kyle recited, raising a palm.

"Behind your back?" Faroush observed.

"Huh? What? Ah, geez, you caught me. Okay, okay, no crossed fingers. I'll take care of her like I would my own sister," Kyle relented.

Faroush and Miakis exited the chambers and made their way to the Prince's quarters.

Once they arrived, Miakis closed the door behind them.

"Now why exactly did you need me instead of Kyle? You know he's better at dealing with the public than I am," Miakis asked.

The Prince approached Miakis and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I just wanted to take you away from the Queen for a bit. You know, for a small break. I haven't had any one-on-one time with you in quite a long time."

"I appreciate that, Prince, I really do, but I don't see protecting the Queen as a duty, but more of a privilege. I really don't mind being around her. It's…" Miakis started, but Faroush interrupted.

"Ssh…I knew you'd say that. You're required to say that. In the absence of our parents, you've taken on more of a motherly role. Don't take this the wrong way, but right now isn't the time for you to be a mother. You can always lend Lym a helping hand, but this is a crucial time where she has to decide on what kind of ruler and what kind of woman she wants to be. We have to let her make those choices on her own. I've already sent for an attendant for her. I'm relieving you of your bodyguard duties," Faroush said.

"Relieving me of my duties? But why?"

"Miakis, I need you as my knight. Even though Falena has come a long way since the war, there is still much change ahead, and I need you to help me usher in the new age. I can't have you split your responsibility," the Prince explained.

"But the attendant, is she capable? I mean, how do you know…"

"Calm down. Don't you trust my judgment? I am her brother, you know. It's Luserina Barows," Faroush announced.

"Luserina?" Miakis seemed a bit surprised.

"Yeah. Is there a problem? I figured she was more than capable. She picked up after her own family for years, and you saw how they were. I don't think she'd have any problem catering to Lym."

"No, there's no problem. She should do a good job…but Prince, what about protecting her? Luserina can't fight, how would she…" Miakis was interrupted again.

"She wouldn't have to. It will be our sworn duty as Queen's Knights to protect Lym. We will all protect her, we just won't have the burden of catering to her every little whim," Faroush stated.

"Prince…"

"Miakis, please, you can call me Faroush."

Before he could say another word, Miakis grabbed Faroush and kissed him. Tears flowed from her eyes as years of caged emotion were allowed to burst free from their imprisonment.

Stunned at first, the Prince eventually reciprocated her embrace and took part in their exchange.

After a few moments, Miakis released her lips and rested her head on Faroush's shoulder and squeezed her commander with all of her love.

"I'm so thankful for you, for Lym, for everything…Thank you….Faroush….I…" Miakis sobbed.

"I love you, Mia…I love you…" Faroush whispered.

"I love you, too…"

-------------------------------------

The young boy sped along the path. He tried to suppress his exhausted heaves as he increased his pace. Just a few more yards to Lordlake.

When he passed through the arches of the town, he crashed into a large body clad in a bright green poncho.

"Whoa, whoa, kid. Where's the fire?"

"I……have……news…..from…..from….from…."

"I'm sure it's not that big. Take time to breathe, then you can tell me the news from Sol-Falena."

"Queen….husband….not Sacred Games….choice…..Commander…."

"Kid, we've got to get you in a training program, you look terrible. Let's get you inside,"

The red-haired man lifted the child and took him in to the nearest building.

"What's wrong with this one?" an older woman asked.

"Other than the fact that he can't talk coherently and he's out of shape, I don't think there's anything wrong with him. I just thought I might bring him in out of the sun," said the man.

"Now, Goesch, you know that healthy people have no business in my infirmary. I'm crowded enough as it is with victims of heat exhaustion," said the woman.

"Give me a break, Silva. All I'm asking is for just a few minutes," Goesch begged.

"Fine then. Just don't get in the way, and don't touch anything," Silva ordered.

"Feh nyeh, don't tech nyeh nyeh teh," Goesch mocked.

No sooner than he had finished his imitation, a stick whacked him on top of the head.

"Ow! What the?" Goesch rubbed his cranium.

"Silva doesn't appreciate you giving her a hard time," the older, yet massive man said.

"Come on, Galleon, this kid has news from Sol-Falena, I'm trying to let him catch his breath," Goesch appealed.

"Very well then, let's hear what the boy has to say," Galleon lifted the child onto his feet.

"Chairman Talgeyl and the leaders of Parliament…they ruled to change the royal traditions…the Queen now has the right to choose her own husband…and the Sacred Games will be used to determine the new Commander of the Queen's Knights….and to find and recruit new knights…" the boy puffed.

"Prince Faroush…Queen Lymsleia…well done, children…" Galleon whispered and nodded.

"That Prince, he's a real go-getter. I like that. If I weren't already too far gone, I'd go and try to compete," Goesch commented.

"Too far gone?" Galleon asked.

"Yeah, since I turned to mediation and politics, I haven't had time to keep myself in practice for combat," Goesch said as he rubbed his stomach.

"You must make time, Goesch. Given your current state, I can't see how you can give the boy here such a hard time about being out of breath!" Galleon laughed.

"You know, do as I say, not as I do, right Galleon?" Goesch replied.

"Not quite, my young chancellor. Now take the boy and spread the word to the people, and make sure you send a convoy to Sable to spread the good news!" Galleon hollered.

"Will do, old man!" Goesch yelled back.

"Watch your tongue, boy! I may no longer be a knight, but that doesn't keep me from imposing my will!" Galleon shook his fist.

----------------------------------------

"_**It's calling…I hear it calling….I must go to it….we must reunite….I will have it back….I still have control…"**_

---------------------------------------

Stormfist, for the most part, had quieted down substantially after the war. Most of the commerce had moved back to Sol-Falena. The strict lines that had been drawn between the commoners and the nobility had been erased. After a year of intermingling, the classes seemed to redefine and have improved relations. The city's main moneymaker? The recruit training school held in the arena.

"Sir Belcoot! Sir Belcoot!"

"Yes?"

"I bring word from Sol-Falena!"

"What is the word?" Belcoot asked.

"You have been officially invited by the Falenan Parliament and Prince Faroush, the Commander of the Queen's Knights to join their ranks!"

"Join their ranks?" Belcoot was confused by the messenger.

"They're asking you to become a Queen's Knight!" the recruit blasted.

"What…what an honor…I…don't know…." Belcoot stuttered.

"You aren't going to decline, are you?" the boy seemed almost frightened.

"But Lady Marina…I…" Belcoot trailed off.

"Oh! My apologies, Sir Belcoot, I'll summon her at once!" the recruit said as he ran off.

…………..

Marina choked, then turned a deep red.

"But Belcoot! Our wedding is coming up in two weeks! I won't have you traipsing off and being a knight and putting yourself in danger!"

"Marina…"

"No! I won't have you doing that again! I can't risk losing you again!" Marina yelled.

"But Marina, I…"

"And what about the recruits? What about them? Are you just going to leave them here? And what about me and the inn? Are you just going to leave me alone and let the inn go under?" Tears began to flow from Marina's eyes.

"Marina, listen to me. I have many capable people to take over the school. We will still be able to get married, and you will do fine with the inn. Keep in mind, Giles and Wilma still own the inn, and they'd be more than happy to take care of you. Also, if you like, I'm sure Prince Faroush would allow you to accompany me to Sol-Falena," Belcoot explained in his first full sentence in Marina's presence.

"But I…don't want to leave…I…don't want you to leave…I…don't want to lose you…"

"Marina…"

The two lovers embrace as the recruits look on.


	4. Chapter 3

----------------------

CHAPTER 3

----------------------

"Prince…."

"LYON!" yelled the prince as he ran to catch his collapsing comrade. He made it in time to let her gently to the ground, where he held her.

"That's…strange…I feel so…tired…" Lyon said as she flashed her large eyes at Faroush.

His mind was suddenly torn between concern for her life and memories of her past. Would she survive? This accursed rune had already killed his aunt, surely it wasn't ruthless enough to kill his closest friend.

"Prince?" Lyon wheezed.

"Lyon…please…don't talk. I'll get you to a doctor…we'll figure out what's wrong…"

"No…I have a feeling…a feeling that a doctor can't fix this…I…think…I'm dying, Faroush…" Lyon strained to cough as tears started to flow from her eyes.

"No, Lyon…no…you can't die…not here….not now…not after this…" After trying to hold it back, the Prince finally began to cry himself.

The biting cold ripped at their skin and made the saline on their faces frigid.

"I…I'm cold, Prince…" Lyon shuddered.

"We're all cold, Lyon. Here, take my tunic," The Prince wrapped his orange garb around his companion, which brought a smile to her face.

"You were always so kind…but this is a deeper cold…" Lyon sniffled.

A man clad in red and green cloaks rushed into the chamber accompanied by a short female covered in white cloth.

"This…is caused by the Rune. Eresh cannot help you. Eresh apologizes," Eresh said through her white veil.

"But Eresh! You said that it would be possible through the use of your rune!" The man threw his arms down at his side in anger.

"Eresh was not told of the origin of the ailment. Eresh cannot heal mortal wounds from runes." Eresh remained calm as she turned and vanished back into the Ashtwal Ruins.

"Damn it!" the man yelled.

"Zweig, thank you for trying. Please, go back inside, if you would," Faroush bowed his head to Lyon.

"But Your Majesty, I…" Zweig started.

"You have done enough, Zweig. I need this time with Lyon," The Prince ran his hand through Lyon's hair.

"I…yes, Prince." Zweig trudged back inside the darkened tunnels.

"Prince…I…wondered if you'd ever like me…when I first came to Sol-Falena…I was worried…that the others wouldn't like me either…especially Miakis…"

"Lyon, I never…"

"No, listen…please…I know you were happy before…I'm glad I got to see that happiness…that relief…just for a bit…when we defeated Marscal…"

"But Lyon, without you…"

"You'll be fine…you still have her…you can be with her now…all of those times we talked…I knew I was your friend…but you were upset that she was Lym's bodyguard…"

"I…wasn't upset…"

"You're a…terrible liar…heh…heh…I always saw right through you, Prince…but even though…I'm so happy…we could be friends…and I'm glad…that you're okay….and I'm happy that…you're…here….with….me….when…."

Lyon winced as her eyelids forced more tears onto her cheeks. Her body seized up as she once again opened her eyes to behold her beloved Prince. This would be the last time she saw him. She didn't want to burden him more with her feelings. He would have it hard enough after she was gone. He had already lost his mother and father, as his bodyguard, she refused to add to his troubles. His protector to the death…

She relaxed in his arms as her final breath escaped her frostbitten body.

"NO! no……Lyon…"

A gentle violet light engulfed the two briefly, then faded away.

"PRINCE!" shouted a man as he emerged from the ruins.

The man walked to the front of Faroush and beheld the scene. The white haired teen raised his head with lachrymal trails running down his face. His jaw quivered as he held up his hands: one with the Dawn Rune, the other with the Twilight Rune.

"Georg…I couldn't help her…" The boy said as he collapsed over his friend's corpse.

----------------------

_You'll be fine…you still have her…you can be with her now…_

----------------------

The Prince awoke in a cold sweat. He quickly shrugged off his drowsiness and looked around the room. Light was not readily streaming through his window. Outside, dark clouds warned of the impending storms nearing the Falenan capital city. The castle seemed quiet and still…almost lifeless.

Sensing that something was amiss, Faroush slid around and slipped into his leather sandals. He threw on his most available clothes and jogged into the hallway, carelessly leaving his door open.

He looked around and listened closely as his father had taught him during training. He still heard nothing.

All of the sudden, there was a crackle and a thunderous boom.

The Prince swung his head around in all directions, but after a moment, calmed himself, resigning that the noise was simply from the dreary weather outside.

He slowly and quietly stalked the passages of the castle all the way to the main lobby. He listened under the door…still quiet.

Faroush stood to open to door in order to see out, but as he did the door crashed into his face, sending him stumbling backwards and into the opposite wall.

"OH! BROTHER!" Lymsleia exclaimed as she burst through the doorway.

"Geez, Lym…why did you have to do that?" Faroush said as he stroked his temple.

"I was coming to find you! I so hate storms! I wanted to stay with you until they stop!" Lym fell to the floor and clung to her elder sibling's arm.

"There's nothing to fear with the storm. You know we always have a rough one each year. It helps feed the Feitas." The Prince explained.

For the most part, Falena was a sunny and tropical place, enjoying mild temperatures and sunny days. Most Falenans believed that it was thanks to the Sun Rune, yet each year, the weather patterns produced an abbreviated monsoon season.

"But that's strange, why couldn't you stay with Miakis?" Faroush asked as he reached his feet.

"She sent me in here. She and Kyle had to make sure the gates on the dam were opened so the city wouldn't flood."

It wasn't like Miakis to show such carelessness. She might have told Lymsleia that to quell her fears. There had to be more on the horizon than just the weather. And if there was indeed something else of greater matter, why wasn't he alerted?

But what was the Prince to do? He couldn't leave his sister, the Queen alone in the castle undefended. She had to go with him.

"Come on, Lym. We're going outside."

"WHAT?" Lym shrieked with that astounded look on her face. "Outside? There's no reason to go outside? Let's just stay in here, all safe and sound. We'll let Miakis and Kyle take care of the dam."

"We're not going outside because of the dam." Faroush said as he led his sister by the hand.

She resisted at first, but soon, Lym relented to being taken outside the walls of the royal residence.

As they opened the doors, a crowd was there to meet them. As far as they could see down the walkways, people were shoulder to shoulder as if in an audience for some incredible announcement. At the front of the multitude were Miakis and Kyle.

"Miakis, why did you leave the Queen?" Faroush asked in his official and public tone.

"Your Majesty, Commander, I apologize. Kyle was in need of my assistance, as you are now, My Lord," She replied as sincerely as she could.

"Kyle, what was the problem?" The Prince turned to the rogue knight.

"Your Majesty, we found a sword in the dam. It was lodged in so far that it took a rune master to remove it. I led patrols to scour the city, looking for the owner, but found none. Miakis remained here to guard the front of the palace. Here is the sword, sire," Kyle reported as he presented the sword to his commander.

The sword was incredibly large. Its double-sided blade extended four feet from the hilt easily. The darkened metal shimmered even in the dreary sunless morning. The edges were flawless and unscathed, as if it had never been used, let along wedged into the stone of the dam. The handle and hilt appeared to be of solid gold. It was adorned with two jewels on each side, both a blood red stain, yet were perfectly cut into octagonal prisms. The edges of the guard extended up forming small claws. At the base of the grip, a small cord extended, wrapped around a parchment.

"What is this?" Faroush asked as he lifted the rolled document.

"We were waiting for you to tell us, Sire." Kyle spoke up.

-----------------------

_Royalty of Falena,_

_You are hereby warned. We come to complete the Runes of the Sun and of the Night. You shall allow us to complete our holy quest, or you shall suffer complete annihilation. If you desire prosperity of your country, and the welfare of your people, you will offer no resistance. You are beheld._

_Kardon the Elder_

_-----------------------_

"Kardon the Elder? Who is he?" Faroush lifted his head in confusion and surprise.

"Kardon is the High Priest of the Nagarean Clergy. That is a sword of a Nagarean Paladin." A voice emerged from behind Miakis and Kyle. "I have only been to Nagarea once, and I would rather not return."

"Well noted, Belcoot. I assume you've come to assist me?" Faroush acknowledged.

"I have, Your Majesty. I only have one request." Belcoot bowed.

"Yes, Marina can come as well. I've already made preparations." The Prince nodded to his newest Queen's Knight.

"I….Your Majesty, I…thank you…" Belcoot was nearly rendered speechless.

"Kyle, Miakis, Belcoot, we must meet in the chambers immediately. My Queen, you must come as well. Good people of Falena! Please, return to your homes! You will be alerted of any ill happenings, but until then, I ask that you return to your lives!" Faroush ordered.

The crowd began to disperse, however a few men remained and approached the castle.

"Your Majesty, we are here to serve you!" called a man in blue and black endowments.

"Ah! Dinn! Great to see you! And I see you brought Richard and Roy with you!" The Prince acknowledged.

"Mueller told me that I had better accept your offer. He said it would be my chance to be a real warrior. I also felt like I owe you something since you allowed me to battle Childerich in Stormfist. My sword is yours, Prince Faroush." Richard explained as he kneeled.

"Yeah, yeah, and I know what you're thinkin' about me. I just came to make sure you wouldn't let any more of those cuties get hurt. You can't just go around all careless!" Roy shrugged.

Faroush was pleased that so many had responded to his requests so quickly. There were only three invitations left. He wondered how long it might take those…or how much time would pass before they were found.


	5. Chapter 4

----------------

CHAPTER 4

----------------

"My knights, thank you for meeting on such short notice. I have urgent news to pass down to you. According to the parchment that was attached to the sword this morning, the Nagarean Priesthood is planning a takeover of our country if we do not agree to give up the Dawn, Twilight, and Sun Runes. For whatever reason, they seek to reunite the Rune of the Night with its counterparts and reassemble the original rune. Their intentions are not clear, however their resolve appears to be absolute. Given that the runes are Falenan royal treasures and the symbols of our nation, I have decided that we must protect our nation in their name. We witnessed the destructions wrought at the hands of these runes in the past five years, and we know that we cannot afford for that might to fall into the wrong hands. It is a lot to ask of new knights, and I understand if you wish to reconsider your entry into the Queen's Knights. If any of you feel the need to leave, you will suffer no repercussion." Faroush explained.

The room held sound captive momentarily.

Dinn was the first to acknowledge and stood.

"Commander, I stood by your side during the tribulations of the last war. Now, as a Queen's Knight, my allegiance and duty is no different. I will protect my country and my Queen from any invaders at any cost."

"And what's the point of being a knight if you can't fight anybody?" Richard added in his usual nonchalant tone.

"It's not like we're going to sit around here and serve you up wine or anything. Besides, I've spent my whole life looking for a good fight!" Roy interjected as he slammed his fist down on the table.

Faroush looked toward Kyle and Miakis, who simply smiled and nodded in approval.

"Then it is settled. We must prepare our country for an invasion. We must bolster our western defenses and place a secondary command post in Stormfist. Belcoot, I'm sure you would be more than capable of managing that task?" The Prince looked at the swordsman.

"Yes, Commander. Consider it done." Belcoot bowed.

"Very good. Take Roy along with you. You'll find he can be quite useful." Faroush supplemented his orders.

"We will also need the cooperation of Doraat and Sauronix. Dinn, I ask you to travel to Doraat. Miakis and I will meet with Rahal at Sauronix. In the meantime, Kyle, Richard, I ask you to tend to matters here in Sol-Falena. Luserina should arrive later today to attend to the Queen. Also, send emissaries to Lordlake and the eastern provinces to notify them of our preparations."

A confident call of "Yes, sire!" filled the room as the knights were dismissed.

The knights on assignment immediately left the room to prepare for their respective journeys, while Kyle, Miakis, and Richard remained in the room.

"Richard. I'm going to trust you with my sister's life. I've only seen two swordsmen better than you. Protect her with all of your strength." Faroush ordered.

"Aye, Commander." Richard bowed and left the room.

"Kyle, tend to the people here in Sol-Falena. Be sensitive to their needs and protect them…and check in on Lymsleia occasionally. It would be good for her to see a familiar face." The Prince placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder pad.

"I won't let you down, Your Majesty." Kyle said as he departed.

Miakis stood with her hands clasped near her chest, her eyes looked extremely damp.

"Is there something wrong, Miakis?" Faroush asked.

"Oh…nothing…it's just that….Ferid would be so proud of you right now…to see what kind of a leader you've become…" Miakis sobbed.

"Miakis, not now…"

"No, really…Lymsleia might be the Queen and leader of the country…but you've proved that you are the heart and soul! Because of your love for your family and this country, we've weathered through one war, and now your country will rally around you and serve you to the end! Despite Ferid's ability with a sword, he was never able to have such wholehearted support! I believe in you as our commander…" Miakis rushed forward and hugged her superior officer.

"Miakis…thank you…" Faroush breathed as he held his beloved knight.

From the doorway, Kyle caught the Prince's eye, then dismissed himself with an exaggerated "thumbs-up" gesture to his commander.

---------------------------

The tempest had already begun outside the castle. Rain pelted the agora and the people in it. Men, women, and children scurried about with papers and garments held over their heads as they made their way through the inundated streets.

Knowing that the ship could only take them as far as Port Spinacks, Faroush had plenty of leather cloaks stored for the wet trip to Sauronix. However he had a feeling they would need more than that.

Miakis emerged onto the royal pier, but something small nearly threw her down the stairs as it rushed past.

"Brother! Brother!" Lymsleia shrieked as she streaked towards the Prince. "Why are you LEAVING ME!"

"But, My Queen, I have go to Sauronix to seek their help." Faroush said honorably.

"But WHYYYYYYYYYY? Can't you just let Miakis go?" Lym tugged at her bother's cloak.

"I would do that, but I have my own business to attend to at Sauronix, aside from asking for their assistance."

"BUT…But….but…." Lymsleia stuttered.

"Richard and Kyle will be here to attend to you, and Luserina should be here any minute. And please, take it easy on her. She'll do everything she can to help you out. She's a friend you can count on." Faroush rubbed his sister's head and messed her hair.

Miakis joined her commander on the ship as it pulled out from the pier. Lymsleia watched on the dock as long as she could still see the vessel. After a few moments, the intense downpour shrouded the ship in white.

The storm had actually worsened by the time the ship left the lake around Sol-Falena. Water had slowly made its way into the swaying cabin.

"Ugh…I'm not a fan of this…" Faroush garbled as his face paled.

"What's wrong, Prince?" Miakis asked, genuinely clueless.

"I'm not so good…on rough rides…" The Prince said as she shot his hand to block his mouth.

"Ew! Please don't get sick now, it's a long trip!" Miakis replied as she put her arm around Faroush to comfort him.

Miakis had rarely seen the Prince so vulnerable. It was like he literally could not defend himself…and for some reason, she liked that. Whether it was all of her time she spent taking care of Lymsleia, she didn't know. All that mattered is that she still had someone to care for.

Much had been passing through her mind since yesterday. The kiss she shared with Faroush…it was a long time in the making. Several years ago, when she was Faroush's bodyguard, she took what she had for granted. Instead of making the most out of their relationship, she opted to view it as a duty, and treated it as such. She helped the Prince with his appointed chores and royal duties, yet kept her distance personally. He never really caused her any problems, but she felt almost more like a babysitter than a Knight's Apprentice. It wasn't until Lyon came along and she was reassigned to keeping up with Lymsleia that Miakis realized what she had been missing. Even though she had been so neutral with the Prince, she saw a ripping in his heart upon the news of her reassignment. She soon realized that she was torn as well. Nine years passed and her heart had only grown fonder of Faroush, yet had to be kept at bay…and at a distance. Her feelings could never be truly expressed, or she would risk her status as a Queen's Knight. However, now that Lymsleia was Queen, and Faroush was her commander, she felt that she could finally break down her barriers and release her claustrophobic emotions.

In the midst of her deep thought, the Prince had finally reached his breaking point and passed out on Miakis' shoulder. Instead of waking him, she made sure he rested comfortably as she cuddled up and rested her eyes. She eventually joined him in the realm of unconsciousness.

-----------------------

"Sagiri, I just got an official looking letter for you. Looks like you might want to open it." A small, yet rotund blonde woman beckoned as she cocked her head to get the water out of her ears.

"What, she gets mail and I don't? How rude. Are you sure you got all of it?" The young male on the couch sat up and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Shigure, you aren't always a packaged deal, you know. There was only one letter, unfortunately, and it is made out in Sagiri's name. It's a pity, though, business has been frightfully slow since Oboro left." The blonde woman shrugged as she handed the letter to Sagiri.

"Thanks, Fuyo. What's this? Isn't that the royal crest? Prince Faroush wants me to be a Queen's Knight? Do I really look like a knight?" Sagiri said in surprise.

Shigure snickered. "Heh, you don't look like a knight to me. If you ask me, I'd make a better knight than you would."

"If you could ever pull yourself off of that couch!" Fuyo accused.

"Hey!" Shigure shot a look back at Fuyo.

"You know, Sagiri, if he's asking for your help, that means he saw something in you that he deemed as useful for the betterment of the country. You really should agree to help." Fuyo smiled.

"I don't know…I didn't have to be a knight to help out last time…" Sagiri fretted.

"Yeah, and it's raining too much outside right now anyway, so she might as well stay put," Shigure huffed as he laid back down.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go. I'll at least be able to find out why he wants me exactly." Sagiri relented.

"You're kidding, right?" Shigure opened his right eye.

"No, not really. I mean, it's just water." Sagiri glanced.

Shigure sighed. "Fine, suit yourself. It's your funeral. Just remember, don't blame me for anything that happens while you're out there…….Sagiri?...Sagiri?"

The door was still open as the torrential rain blew inside the lavish houseboat.


	6. Chapter 5

------------------

CHAPTER 5

------------------

"_You know the rune is cursed. You saw what it did to your family."_

A knight clad in black swirled around the Prince.

"_You witnessed first-hand its destruction. Those runes…the accursed runes…they led to the destruction of your mother and your father, they killed your friend, they laid waste to Lordlake and even the entire Kingdom of Armes…they nearly destroyed your home…"_

The knight and his sable color armor came to a stop in front of Faroush. The golden horns on his helm tilted as his face became visible. Blonde locks encased the sinister looking face. One eye was crimson while the other was azure.

"Kyle?"

The demonic warrior burst into evil laughter.

"_Ha! Ha! Ha! You only believe that your adversaries are visible! I am not a being of Falena, or even your realm! Destroy the runes or they will destroy you! You accursed child, you shall die by the hands of those who you hold dear! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"_

"NO!" Faroush yelled as he leapt to his feet. He came to his senses after the immense "thud" on the floor of the ship.

"HEY! What was that for? I was dreaming of riding cute little dwaggy howsies!" Miakis exclaimed as she righted herself, rubbing her sore posterior.

The Prince scratched his head and squinted.

"Eh…nothing, I just had a…disturbing dream, that's all."

"It's not like you to have so many bad dreams. You've had a lot of those lately. Is something wrong?" Miakis put her hand on Faroush's cheek. "You don't feel sick."

"No, I'm not sick, I'm just worried. So much has come up all of the sudden, and it just doesn't seem right." Faroush walked back over to the bench and sat down.

"Of course it doesn't seem right. Things have changed so much in just the span of a year, and just as you were getting accustomed to peace, something like this comes along and just messes everything up! Plus, without your parents…oh…I…I'm sorry, Prince," Miakis did her best to cheer up Faroush, although this time, it seemed she picked the wrong choice of words…that, and the Prince seemed inconsolable at this point.

"No, that's okay, Miakis…I just wish I could turn back the clock sometimes…You know…keep mom from taking the Sun Rune…if it weren't for that rune…I'd still have my family…" Faroush slumped in depression.

Miakis felt as if a spear had plunged deep into her heart. She cried on the inside for her Prince. Even after the end of the war, she had never seen him this troubled. He was usually resilient to worldly troubles, but this seemed to be a more complicated issue. It wasn't just his emotions that were affected, it was his soul.

"Prince…please…tell me what is wrong…" Miakis' eyes began filling with tears. They were like small dams, threatening to give way at any moment.

"Miakis…I…don't know if we can win this war…I don't think I'm strong enough…If they get the Sun Rune…"

Miakis spun Faroush around. She saw the genuine fear in his eyes. The fear of losing. The fear of failure. The paralyzing fear of death. He had lost hope before the battle had even started. Miakis knew that look. She had seen it before.

"Oh no…Faroush…You can't give up. Your country is counting on you. They believe in you. As long as they still believe, we have a chance. We can't let anyone else see you like this. Prince, please, for your country….for _me_, please believe…" Miakis hugged her commander gently. He reciprocated by pulling her close and clutching her.

He had not held her like this since the day Lyon died.

---------------------------

"Nagarea? You've got to be kidding, Belcoot."

"No, Gizel, the threat is as real as the rain outside." Belcoot confirmed.

"What is his plan then?" Gizel leaned forward in his chair.

"We are to gather any and all soldiers and stage a defensive from here in Stormfist. Doraat and Hershville will be the other main areas of defense." Belcoot explained.

"That makes sense, but then again, if it makes sense for us, then Nagarea will know it as well. Does the illustrious commander have any tricks up his sleeve?" Gizel prodded as he raised an eyebrow.

"Not to my knowledge, but then again, we've only just started our preparations." Belcoot acknowledged.

"Well then, I suppose this will give me ample opportunity to prove my worth. Belcoot, if you and your associate are willing, I think I may be able to "stack our deck" so to say." Gizel rose from his desk and accompanied the two new Queen's Knights into the hallway.

----------------------------

The hooves of the horse squished in the mud as it approached town. By this time, the water had soaked completely through both layers of leather cloaking and had inundated the rider. Once he reached the cobblestone streets, he dismounted and tied his steed to a tree outside the walls. A guard greeted him at the gate to the city.

"Welcome to Estrise, kind sir."

"I thank you. I must speak with Lord Shula and Lord Wilde, can you take me to them?" asked the man in the cloak.

"Yes, sir, I….guuuukkkk….." The guard gargled as the kunai blade entered his neck.

"No need, I think I can find them myself." The cloaked man pulled his weapon from the guard's corpse and let it douse in the rain. He sheathed it inside his cloak and entered the quiet city.

Unlike Sol-Falena, the citizens of Estrise rarely roamed the streets in the yearly storms. The gales coming off the sea only intensified the velocity of the rain, giving it a painful sting as it struck your skin like small needles.

The man observed the empty streets and looked for the largest residence, which stood directly to his left.

Inside, a warm fire provided heat for a comfortable dinner. Boz, his wife, Shula, Nifsara, and Sharmista all were sitting down to enjoy a delicious roast boar. Boz had hunted it himself and was rather proud of its size. They all laughed and fellowshipped with Kanakan wine and stuffed their stomachs.

The door suddenly flew open, allowing torrents of rain to fly in and pelt the opposite wall.

"What was that?" asked Lord Wilde as he stood up. "I've never had a problem with that door before…" He proceeded toward the door to shut it. He blinked, and a man in a cloak stood before him. Boz stumbled back in surprise.

"Impossible!" Nifsara yelled out. "How could you have gotten in here without us noticing!"

"Slight of hand…smoke and mirrors…whatever you like to call it. You _did_ notice that the door was open, right?" Said the cloaked figure.

"There is no need for arrogance here. I assume by your methods that you are here to take our lives?" Shula said with his gentle yet emotionless face.

"Quite possibly," the man started.

"Never!" Sharmista yelled, breaching her usually calm demeanor. Her chakram split the air as it sailed toward the man's head.

The spinning blade slammed into the wall with a dull thud and undulated, stuck in place.

The man laughed. "I'm not so good at playing catch. I'm yet to find someone who can actually make it to me."

The laughter angered Boz. "Grrrr…then why are you here! Out with it!"

"To keep you from alerting your Armesian allies," The man said as he raised a hand into the air.

"And how do you expect to…" Nifsara began, but was interrupted by an intense flash of light.

"W-where are we?" Sharmista asked in disbelief.

Instead of the cozy Estrise household, their surroundings were now much more uninviting. Moss grew out from the junctions of large stone blocks, seemingly fashioned with ancient chisels. Brass torches hung sparsely on the grayish-black walls. A thin layer of a gritty, oily substance lined the floor.

"Your new home," The man in the cloak replied from the top of a tall stairwell.

"I assume you have plans for us, lord of Nether Gate," Shula commented, still with his serene visage.

"So you _do_ know who I am. Then I trust you already know of your fate to come. I shall leave you to it, then." The cloaked man revealed a sinister sneer as he disappeared behind a large metal door.

--------------------------------

"Sire, Lady Miakis, we've arrived at the port."

"Thank you, Kalis." The Prince said as he took his feet.

"That's strange…I don't hear the rain anymore." Miakis observed as she followed Faroush toward the deck stairs.

"Hmm…that's because it's not raining." Faroush noticed as he emerged onto the deck.

The skies were still a graphite color, and the smell of rain still lingered, yet nothing was wet, and nothing showed any signs of ever being wet.

"Something's wrong…" Miakis warned as she backed up against her commander.

Faroush looked around. None of the shiphands were on deck. The ship seemed deserted save Miakis and himself.

Suddenly, the singing of a blade permeated the humid air. Faroush and Miakis dove in opposite directions as the massive sword crashed into the deck, splitting the planks into a splintery mess. He swordsman immediately recoiled and slung his weapon at Faroush, who backed just out of range.

The warrior continued his barrage as the Prince relied on his superior agility to avoid the blows. Eventually his ability failed him as Faroush tripped over a tow rope and slammed on his back.

The swordsman drew back to deliver his deathblow……but he had forgotten about Miakis.

A dagger plunged into his shoulder blade, effectively locking his arm into place. Another dagger entered the man's forearm, just above the wrist. Instead of a scream or a yell, the swordsman unleashed an almost inhuman growl as he dropped his weapon onto the deck. He reached and removed one dagger with his hand, then he forced his arm down, which caused the other dagger to fly and lodge itself into a nearby mast.

Assuming that Miakis was defenseless, the warrior, who had a massive size and strength advantage, slowly approached his new prey. He then leapt into the air to crush Miakis with a vicious overhand strike. Miakis raised her hand, which glowed with an intense yellow light.

In a flurry, the planks of the deck stripped from their fastenings and flew upwards, striking Miakis' assailant in the legs, midsection, chest and head. He flopped onto the deck and grunted. In almost an instant, his muscles decreased in size and the man took on a more human appearance. As quickly as he diminished, rain began to fall from the sky.

Faroush was on the man in an instant with a dagger to his throat.

"Why are you here!" He yelled.

"I-I thought I could kill you…" The man sputtered blood and a broken tooth.

"Why! Why do you want to kill me? Who sent you?" Faroush demanded as he pressed the blade into the skin on the man's neck.

"That man…he gave me this rune…he said that if I could kill you…then I could be free…" The warrior gulped as he started to sense his own death.

"What kind of promise is that! What are you, a slave?" Faroush continued to bear down on the fallen warrior.

"Y-yes…I am a farmer in the household of Kardon the Elder…" He closed his eyes awaiting his fate.

"Prince…this rune…I've never seen anything like it before…" Miakis commented as she examined the swordsman's hand.

The rune looked like a lidless eye with rays emanating from the center. A sword ran through it, from the bottom to the top.

"What is that rune?" The Prince pressured.

"He called it the Rune of War…If you're going to take it, just take it…being free from its curse would be better than any kind of freedom Kardon could grant me…" The man sighed.

"Curse? What are you talking about?" Faroush lessened his grip on the dagger.

"The rune…I can't control its power…and when I used it…I went berserk…I killed all of the soldiers, even the paladins Kardon sent with me…I am the lone survivor of an invasion that never took place…now I deserve to die…" The warrior leaned forward, trying to press his own throat against the edge of the dagger.

"If you wish to kill yourself, then you _are_ crazy," Faroush said as his withdrew the dagger and handed it back to Miakis. "Get up."

"NO! I deserve to die! I tried to kill you! Aren't you going to punish me?"

"Part of being royalty is having compassion, whether it is for my own people, or the people of another kingdom. I learned that lesson the hard way, and I witnessed firsthand what a lack of compassion will do to a country…I will never again allow that to happen within these borders in my lifetime…" Faroush said as he pulled the dagger out of the mast and pointed it at the man.

"I…I understand…but as long as I am alive, you are in danger."

"What's your name?" Faroush asked.

"Excuse me?" The man stopped in thought, confused.

"Your name. Tell me your name." The Prince asked again.

"Kalinor…"

"Kalinor, I don't fear you, nor do I fear the power of your rune. As long as I have these," Faroush held up his hands displaying the Twilight and Dawn runes, "I consider myself quite safe. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have already."

Kalinor gasped at the sight.

"I see Kardon failed to tell you about the runes. It seems as if he actually expected you to fail." Faroush pointed out.

"Impossible. Kardon would never waste his own warriors. He's already too conservative as it is, he would never risk turning the rest of the clergy against him." Kalinor denied the claim.

"Unless he planned to paint the slaughtering as an attack by Falena. Did you kill your army on Nagarean soil or Falenan soil?" Miakis stepped forward into the discussion.

"I…no…Nagarea…Kardon…he couldn't have…" Kalinor fell to his knees.

"Prince, if Kardon makes it look like we tried to invade Nagarea, they will send their entire military to the border to invade. Even with our preparations, there's no way we could match their army!" Miakis pleaded.

"Maybe you won't have to," A voice came from the dock.

A man dressed in a sky blue tunic stood next to his matching dragon horse.

"Rahal!" Miakis exclaimed.

"Lady Miakis, Your Majesty, we've already received word of the impending invasion. Sauronix is already prepared to mobilize, and we have already communicated our situation with King Jalant of the New Armes Kingdom. He has agreed to send reinforcements as quickly as they can be assembled." Rahal bowed.

"Very good, Lord Rahal. If you weren't tied down to Sauronix, I wouldn't mind having you as a Queen's Knight!" Faroush laughed.

"I'm hardly worthy of the compliment, Your Majesty." Rahal bowed again and joined in laughter with the Prince.

Miakis was relieved to see the Faroush laugh. His current demeanor was a far cry from the hapless character he had appeared early on in the trip. He had finally regained his confidence, and she hoped that she had something to do with it.


	7. Chapter 6

-------------------

CHAPTER 6

-------------------

"What are you doing down here, you FILTHY DEVIL?" A man clad in green yelled as his hat flew from his head. His outburst echoed through the dank underground passages.

"What? Who are you?" Gizel asked, taken aback.

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM? YOU AND YOURS PERSONALLY TOOK AWAY WHAT WAS THE PROPERTY OF MY FAMILY! YOU DESTROYED US AND OUR REPUTATION! A N D T H A N K S T O Y O U I A M F O R C E D T O L I V E D O W N H E R E T O H I D E M Y S H A M E , Y O U F I L T H Y D E V I L!" The eccentric man screamed as his beard seemed to stretch from his face.

"Lord Gizel, this is Egbert Aethelbald. He…assisted us…during the conflict." Belcoot explained.

"YOU HAVE SHAMED THE HOUSE OF AETHELBALD AND WE WILL SEE YOU FALL!" Egbert's eyes bugged and turned bloodshot.

"Is he oblivious? The House of Godwin is no longer in power in Stormfist. Sure, I manage the city, but since the abolition of the Senate, there are no longer warring factions. And it seems to me, your preference of residence has nothing to do with me, but rather more to do with your own…temperament." Gizel chided.

"Why you…..FILTHY DEVIL!" Egbert lunged toward Gizel, feeling the moment of his revenge into the tips of his poorly groomed fingernails.

A sword quelled his anger and robbed him of his chance at retribution.

"Stop there, Lord Egbert. We've come to ask of your knowledge and talents for the good of Falena, not to inspire animosity," Belcoot whipped his blade back into its sheath.

"He's correct, Lord Aethelbald. If you agree to help us, I shall restore your residence and make you a delegate to the Falenan Parliament. You will regain what you lost. At this point, that doesn't matter. We simply need your cooperation." Gizel reasoned.

Egbert straightened his collar and secured the buttons on his jacket.

"AHEM! Very well then, Lord Godwin. If you so desire the assistance of the House of Aethelbald, we shall take the high road and show our benevolence. How may I be of service?" Egbert bowed.

"…quite an eccentric one…" Gizel mumbled under his breath.

"WHAT WAS THAT!" Egbert snapped.

"Nothing, good Lord Aethelbald. I'm simply thankful for your display of cooperation." Gizel smirked, with slight pleasure with Egbert's short temper. "Now, this is what we'll do…"

---------------------

"Despite the current situation, you did buy us some time, Kalinor. Instead of the immediate invasion that we feared, we now have to wait for Kardon to set his plan into motion. It won't be a lot of time, but it is time, nonetheless." Faroush said.

"I only hope I can be of as much service to you as you claim, My Lord." Kalinor bowed.

"I think we can show you how to control that rune of yours for our benefit. Kardon knew that as you were, you would not be able to control such a powerful rune. Between Miakis and myself, we should be able to help you with that." The Prince explained further.

Miakis entered the room with a pleased look on her face.

"Prince! Look what I've found!" She held up a spherical crystal with a symbol inside.

"What is that?" Faroush contorted his face in confusion.

"It's a Turtle Rune! This should counteract the berserk effect of Kalinor's rune!" Miakis jumped.

"It's worth a shot if he's up for it," The Prince looked at the swordsman.

"If it will keep me from killing my friends…" Kalinor said with a look of half-relief on his face.

----------------------------

A mile east of Sauronix, Faroush, Miakis, Kalinor, and Roog gathered to train.

"Okay, Kalinor. There should be plenty of trees out here for practice. Take a few swings," Roog said as he pointed toward the nearest cluster of trees.

"Don't be afraid to use your rune, Mr. Kalinor!" Miakis chimed in hopeful glee.

Kalinor raised his hand as an orange light engulfed it. His veins pulsed as his muscles once again grew to incredible size. His grip tightened on his massive sword.

"How do you feel, Kalinor?" Faroush asked, testing for sanity.

"I feel…better…" Kalinor replied in a slightly distorted voice.

The warrior swung his blade and cleanly sliced through three trees in one swipe. While recovering from the maneuver, he used his free hand to punch directly through a fourth tree, tearing it from its foundation and toppling it to the ground. Suddenly, Kalinor shuddered, and returned to his normal size, his massive sword overpowering his arm and dragging it to the ground with a clang.

"What's wrong?" asked Miakis as she started to approach the man.

"I…I lost the power…I got so…tired…" Kalinor wheezed.

"I see…even with the Turtle Rune to help him, controlling the raw power of the Rune of War exhausts him. It looks as if he'll still have to work himself up to using it for any extended duration." Faroush observed.

-----------------------

An expansive room gleamed in the sunlight as the rays reflected off of the impeccably polished white marble floors and walls. A single gold carpet a few feet in width ran from the massive golden chamber doors several meters to a raised section of floor. At the top tier of the stairs sat a massive golden throne. The man sitting upon the throne was adorned much like the room itself, with his flowing white robe and golden adornments. He sat alone with his cheek rested in his right hand.

A man burst through the chamber doors and rushed up the carpet toward the throne. Every few steps, the man stopped to bow. He eventually reached the first tier of the steps.

"Your Excellency, word has it that our forces were slaughtered twenty miles from the Falenan border! What kind of sorcery could have eliminated such a force?"

The man on the throne lifted his head and stroked his chin.

"Ah…so soon. This has worked out more favorably than I had expected. Margon, send word to the council. We are to meet over this matter immediately." He extended his hand toward the entrance, bearing his runic mark to the messenger.

"Yes, Your Excellency! At once!" The man scurried out of the room, nearly tripping over the golden flooring.

----------------------------

"You'd be best not to touch the walls, Lord Wilde," Shula advised.

"What? Grrrr…what's going on here, Shula?" Boz asked as he withdrew his hand.

"We've been taken to the headquarters of Nether Gate. This is their dungeon. The walls are laced with a potent form of Dark Arcanum. A mere touch will put you into a coma." Shula explained as he remained sitting on the floor with his arms around his knees.

"But sire, there has to be a way out of here…" Sharmista said with hope in her voice.

"I'm afraid the door is the only way," Nifsara replied dismally.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"In you go!" yelled a voice as two bodies were flung down the stairs, landing at the base.

Boz and his wife immediately ran to aid the two victims.

"Oh, my, are you okay?" Lady Wilde asked.

Moaning in pain, the two warriors rolled off of each other and rubbed their heads.

"I think we'll live…where are we?" The first warrior asked in a distinctively female voice.

"What do you think? We're exactly where we got ourselves! I told you not to go after that guy like some sort of hero! Master Roundier would not have approved." The other female warrior chastised.

"Shut up, Valeria! If you would have just helped me from the start instead of arguing, we wouldn't even be in this situation!" The first woman yelled.

"How dare you speak to me like that, Anita! If your fuse wasn't so short, we could have assessed the situation and resolved it without flailing our swords all over the place! It's because of your hastiness that we're in this dump!" Valeria screamed as she and Anita both scrambled to their feet ready to fight.

"You aren't my superior!---" Anita started.

"Hold on here, you two!" Boz stepped between the two women. "Instead of killing each other, how about you tell us how you got here, and who you are?"

"My apologies," Valeria said as she pushed her auburn locks out of her face. "I am Valeria, a student of Swordmaster Roundier Haia of Kanakan. And this…"

"I'm Anita, another student of Master Roundier Haia." Anita said with a chiding look at Valeria.

"Ah! Warriors! And what brings you to…well…here?" Boz smiled as only he could.

"We were actually sent by Master Roundier to find one of his lost students. He came to Falena nearly two years ago, and was supposed to have returned after a year." Valeria explained.

"His name is Belcoot." Anita blurted as if on cue.

"Belcoot! Ha! Ha! I know him well! An accomplished fighter, he is! I'm proud to say that he helped us defend our country in the recent War of Succession!" Boz boomed.

"Then you know where he is!" Anita responded with hope.

"Not that it would do us any good down here…" Valeria snapped.

"Why you…" Anita started before Boz interrupted the exchange.

"He was last said to be in Stormfist, training soldiers for the Queen's Army." Boz stated.

A loud noise came from upstairs. Everyone turned to face the door as a man flew through it. The door ripped off of its hinges and clanged down the stairs. The man hit the opposite wall then plopped to the floor with a resounding thud.

"Is anyone down there?" A voice asked from the top of the stairs.

"Huh? Nakula is that you!" Nifsara responded.

A silver haired spearman appeared in the doorway.

"Nifsara? Sharmista? Lord Shula?" Nakula asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Lord Nakula, we are here." Shula answered placidly.

"I finally find this place and kill them all, then I stumble upon one of the chieftains. It is good to see you, Lord Valya. All of you must come with me if you wish to survive." Nakula ordered as he readied his weapon. "I still have one left to go."

-----------------------

"I hope you find these quarters acceptable, Your Highness. They were formerly mine and Roog's. And I apologize, Lady Miakis, as we had no other extra rooms." Rahal bowed.

"You've already done more than enough." Faroush nodded.

"That's okay, Rahal. We're just happy that you and your knights have agreed to help us. Since it's only one night, I can make do with this sleeping arrangement." Miakis smiled.

"Very well. I bid you both a good evening." Rahal exited the room only to meet Roog in the hallway.

"You're really letting them both sleep in the same room?" Roog asked.

"And why would that be a problem, Roog?" Rahal replied sincerely.

"Well, because he's a…and she's a…you know. That's just not right." Roog stuttered.

"Roog, it is not ours to say what they can and cannot do. He is the Prince of Falena, and the Commander of the Queen's Knights. She is a Queen's Knight. They are both responsible enough to handle themselves in a mature manner. We can leave it at that, or we can worry ourselves all night over a moot issue." Rahal held Roog speechless. The red knight sighed as he retired to his own chambers.

---------------------

"Alone again." Miakis actually had a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah…it's a relief to be able to relax again…" Faroush sighed as he flopped onto his bed.

"Prince…" Miakis started as she moved next to his bed.

"Miakis, I told you to just call me Faroush."

"Faroush…you really had me scared when we were on the ship. You really looked like you were giving up. I'm so glad you're back to your old self now. I'm so happy to see that you have your confidence back." Miakis put her hand on the Prince's shoulder.

Faroush patted on the bed for Miakis to sit down next to him.

"You might not have thought you helped me at the time, but you really did, Miakis. Once again, you were there for me when I needed you. But it was also at that point and during the fight with Kalinor that I realized something else…" Faroush said as he sat up.

"What's that?" Miakis asked with an eyebrow raised.

"That I always need you." Faroush looked into her beautiful brown eyes. They started to well up.

"Faroush…" Miakis' head was a constant ramble now. All of her inner thoughts and feelings were unleashed, and the result was a complete cacophony inside of her head.

_It's like he's reading my mind. It's like he knew exactly what I needed. It's like this was meant to be. Is he the one? What should I do now? What about being a Queen's Knight? Will this interfere with my duty? Is this wrong or right? Why should that matter?_

"Miakis?" Faroush's voice snapped Miakis out of her daze.

She shook her head and ignored the voices as she grabbed the Prince and kissed him gently on the lips. In that moment, the silence was golden as a true love was formed inside Miakis' heart. At the same time, Faroush was able to let go of the past and live in the present, looking toward the future.


	8. Chapter 7

------------------

CHAPTER 7

------------------

While he had all but professed his undying love for Miakis, Faroush, being the gentleman, insisted that she sleep in the other bed. He did not want to take any unnecessary risks in anyone discovering their newly kindled relationship. It would be something that would have to be settled after the conflict. If it were brought to light now, it would only cause people to question his authority and decision making abilities. Currently, Kyle was the only one who knew, and he could be trusted with the secret.

In the early morning, Faroush awoke to a still dull grey sky dumping rain on the countryside. It was time for him and Miakis to journey back to Sol-Falena, their objective complete.

"Faroush, are you awake?"

A drip of water landed with a splat on the Prince's forehead.

"Huh?" He said as he came to his senses.

"I've already taken my bath. It's your turn. We'll need to hurry up if we want to meet the ship at Port Spinacks on time!" Miakis advised as she tugged on Faroush's arm.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," He gave in and walked into the bathroom…which had no door. He casually began to undress. All of the sudden, a sharp pain jolted him to complete consciousness.

Faroush turned around to see Miakis recoiling her towel for another strike at his bare bottom.

"Miakis! For the Gods! What are you doing in here?"

"Just making sure you're awake, that's all" Miakis chimed as she fluttered out of the room.

The Prince suddenly felt a bit violated, but at the same time, other things suggested that he enjoyed seeing Miakis covered by only a strategically wrapped towel. The cold water in the bath made sure that was quickly forgotten.

------------------------

Many men garbed in white robes adorned with various colors filed into the massive meeting chamber and took their seats at their respective posts. The last to enter was a man adorned with gold.

"My fellow elders, I have called this meeting to bring to light some grave news for our great country. A peace-maintaining convoy of soldiers and diplomats were on their way to Falena when tragedy struck them. They were mercilessly slaughtered by what was reported as a Falenan Royal Army Brigade. There were no survivors."

A buzz started around the room as the elders turned to each other and bantered in disbelief. The lead man raised a hand and drew silence.

"I wish that were the only ill tidings I had to share, my countrymen. Additionally, my own servant, Kalinor, whom I trusted with my children and livestock, stole my family's precious rune and infiltrated our ranks as a Falenan spy! He plans to bear that rune against his own native country alongside the Falenan dogs!"

A raucous erupted in the chamber as many elders were brought to their feet in disgust. One elder in particular stood, bearing black adornments.

"Kardon!"

"What is it, Elder Soldedt?"

"If there were no survivors of the attack, how do you know that it was Falena who struck them?" Soldedt questioned.

"You dare hold my report as a lie! You are aware that this is treason, yes?" Kardon's eyes flared as he gripped his staff.

"You are also aware that if you lie about your findings that it is _also_ treason, correct, Kardon?" Soldedt remained firm.

"Blasphemy! You dare question my authority as Supreme Elder!" Kardon fumed as he slammed his staff down on the marble floor.

"Hold your tongue, Kardon! Keep in mind that you only hold the position of Supreme Elder because I took ill. It was by my good graces that I did not request it back. I see now the mistake I made. You have learned nothing while serving as my apprentice, and I see now your blind ambition and intentions to lead Nagarea into an impassible canyon, only to be buried alive!" Soldedt yelled.

"ENOUGH!" Kardon boomed in a voice that shook the very halls in which they resided. "I am the authority here in Nagarea, whether it be by folly or by achievement! My word stands as the truth, verily as I stand before you today! Elder Soldedt, I hereby hold you in contempt of the Council of Elders and charge you with treason! Your punishment is DEATH!"

"You don't have the power to do such a thing!" Soldedt's pupils displayed a flame from within.

"I am power personified, fool!" Kardon screamed as he thrust his staff toward his opposition, releasing a bright fireball.

The flaming projectile struck Soldedt in the side, causing him to cry out in agony. Two paladins had made their way over and tried to arrest him, but Soldedt raised his own staff and disappeared in a burst of white light.

"Soldiers, you are to find that traitor Soldedt and kill him on sight! Make haste for the good of Nagarea!" Kardon ordered.

"Kardon…" An elder gasped from beside the Supreme Elder.

"Do you see what happens when you usurp the Great Authority? Is anyone else in this chamber willing to commit treason to the High Clergy?" Kardon glared at everyone in the chamber. "Anyone?"

"What is your suggestion for action, Supreme Elder?" Asked another man clad in white.

"The immediate invasion of the Queendom of Falena. We must be swift in exacting our revenge on those bastards…" Kardon seethed as he stroked the hilt of a blade hidden beneath his robe.

------------------------

Water flowed from the floodgates of the dam in front of Sol-Falena. Massive puddles sat in the streets of the capital city. Very few were in the streets, and those few were swiftly splashing along to their destinations. Kyle was reluctantly one of those in the streets.

Since Faroush was gone, he prided himself at patrolling the city and keeping "evil-doers" at bay. Needless to say, the patrols were even more boring than the usual humdrum of knight meetings. A soaked figure stepped in front of him. He raised a curious eyebrow.

"Sagiri?"

"Yes, Sir Kyle. I received a letter from Prince Faroush. I came to meet with him." Sagiri said with her lax smile.

"The Commander is out of town right now, on a trip to Sauronix Castle. He should be back in a few days. Do you have the letter on you?" Kyle asked as he ran a quick check of Sagiri's body.

_Wow…I never noticed her before…she's built a lot like Lyon, except a little more mature…definitely a prospect…_

"Here it is. He wanted me to be a part of the Queen's Knights. I really needed to speak to him about it first."

"Y-eah…you know, we really should get out of this rain. Why don't you come back to the palace with me?" Kyle extended his hand with a half-bow.

"Very well." Sagiri walked past the dejected rogue knight and continued on her way to the royal residence.

_Oooh…cold…I think she likes me…_

-----------------------

"But, Luserina, do you really have to brush my hair?" Lymsleia whined.

"Oh, no Your Highness, I could let you do it if you'd like. I just didn't want to leave the tangles in your hair." Luserina responded in her gentle voice.

"Oh, okay…I guess that's fine…Luserina?" Lym asked.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Do you like my brother?"

Luserina dropped the brush she was using and her jaw dropped.

"E-excuse me, Your Majesty?" Her voice quivered with fear and nervousness.

"Why do you react like that? Even during the war, you always acted really scared or uncomfortable when asked about Faroush." Lymsleia turned around to look at her attendant.

"Well, I…Your Highness…I…guess I do like him…but I didn't want to approach him about it. You see…I'm a Barows…and he's a prince…and that would have played into my father's plan…so I…" Luserina slowly explained.

"But he's gone now, and there isn't a Senate anymore, so why can't you tell him?" Lym tried to fill in the holes in the logic.

"I…I don't know, Your Majesty…I don't think I could…" Luserina brought her hand to her face as she tilted her head downward.

"Mother always told me that if you aren't honest with your own feelings, you can never be honest with anyone else. You can tell him. You shouldn't be afraid." Lymsleia pressed.

"But, My Queen…I really think he's found someone else. I don't want to ruin that for him." Luserina sighed.

Lymsleia's brow tensed up as she leaned forward.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Your Majesty, why do you think he took a trip to Sauronix with only Miakis and no other knights? He took the trip so he could be with her…be alone with her. The Prince had a look in his eyes that you rarely see. He had the look of true love, and unfortunately, it wasn't love for me. It was love for one of his own knights." Luserina tried her best to reason the whole situation out to Lym.

"Miakis…that's….that's not fair! He can't do that!" Lymsleia yelled.

"But Your Highness, that's the point. He knew you would object. He wanted you to see what he had done for you, and let you see what you should do for him. He approached the Parliament and freed you of your ties to the Sacred Games. He gave you a choice in the man you will take to be your husband. He merely wants the same for himself. Shouldn't he be free to be with the woman he loves?" Luserina resumed brushing the Queen's hair.

"But…Miakis is my friend…I don't want to lose her…" Lym's eyes started to water.

"Your Majesty, you risk losing both of them more by objecting to the whole situation. I know you love them dearly. The best thing to do is to simply allow them to do what they're doing now, and just show them love at every opportunity. If you do that, they'll never leave you." Luserina actually brought tears to her own eyes.

"But what about you, Luserina?" Lymsleia choked.

"I will always be her for you, My Queen." Luserina smiled.

Lymsleia hopped off of her stool and buried her face in Luserina's blouse, wrapping her arms around her waist as tightly as she could. Luserina let her hands rest on Lym's back.

------------------------

Suddenly the door burst open allowing the watery needles to penetrate the inside of the houseboat.

"Shigure! It sounds like the door is open again! Could you shut that please?" Fuyo yelled from upstairs.

"Uh…Fuyo…" Shigure responded from the grip of a muscular man with silvery white hair.

"Where is she?" The man said through gritted teeth.

"Look, she doesn't deserve this, Nakula! You know she doesn't remember anything!" Shigure yelled as he struggled to free himself from the firm hold.

"I will not repeat myself again. Where. Is. She?" Nakula raised the blade of his spear to Shigure's neck.

"Enough, Nakula! Please! If you must know, I'll tell you!" Fuyo pleaded from the doorway to the stairs.

"Then tell me already!" Nakula boomed.

"Don't do it, Fuyo! He'll kill her!" Shigure said before he was flung against the wall, rendering him unconscious.

"Where is she!" Nakula repeated as he started to approach the short, rotund woman.

"She went to Sol-Falena…I sent her to see the Prince…" Fuyo started to sob, but just as she raised her head, she noticed that the warrior was no longer in sight. "Sagiri…"


	9. Chapter 8

---------------------

CHAPTER 8

---------------------

"But, Gizel, I'm not entirely sure our commander would support such a plan." Belcoot expressed his hesitation.

"Sir Belcoot, we _are_ going to war, correct?" Gizel asked.

"Well, yes, but I…" Belcoot started.

"Then these tactics are perfectly viable for an invasion situation. What is a better tactic than leaving your foes on a burning island with no way out?" Gizel smirked.

"…and you're absolutely sure that everyone will make it out?" Belcoot fretted.

"Everyone that isn't killed by Nagarean soldiers." Gizel assured.

Belcoot extended his hand to meet Gizel's.

-----------------------

Box after box of provisions were loaded into the hull of the newly repaired royal ship. Roog and Rahal both supervised their cavalry soldiers as their carried out their latest duties.

"We thank you, Sir Rahal, and Sir Roog, for helping us along in this conflict. I only wish we had come in better circumstances…" Faroush thanked the warriors.

"…and better weather…" Roog mumbled as he wiped the rain from his face.

"It is our solemn duty as Falenans, Your Majesty. We are prepared and will await your call to war." Rahal nodded.

"Lord Rahal! Lord Rahal!" A soldier called from just outside of the port.

A green dragon horse skidded to a stop as the knight dismounted with a large bundle. He dropped it onto the ground and saluted. The weight of the contents caused the burlap to rip and display its treasure. A large suit of armor trimmed in gold and a horned helm lie on the remnants of the sack.

"N…no….No! NO!" Kalinor nearly fell to the ground as he tried to back away.

"Kalinor, what's wrong?" Miakis asked what everyone else was thinking.

"No! That armor! That rune! No!" The swordsman screamed as the rune on his hand began to flash.

The suit of armor started to shake, the noise of metal on metal causing everyone to squint.

Piece by piece, the armor flew and melded itself to Kalinor's body. He shrieked in pain as if the steel was searing his skin. After the armor was complete, Kalinor went into seizures as saliva dripped from his gaping mouth.

Suddenly the Rune of War cast its symbol into the air as another runic symbol appeared on the chest of his armor…a shield with an eye in the center. A third arm split downward from his left arm, then a fourth from his right, complete with a duplicate sword. The extra arms stretched forward as another head pushed forward from Kalinor's. In a sudden jerk, the separation was complete as a black clad knight finally separated from Kalinor's body.

The rune on his chest pulsed, then disappeared as the new knight curled the fingers on his free hand. He pulled his long blonde locks in front of his face and began cackling with delight.

Kalinor shuddered and regained his footing. He spoke with a deepened voice.

"Evil being, why have you decided to escape your prison, now, of all times?"

The blonde knight replied.

"Can you not feel it? It is chaos. It is on the horizon! Bloodshed, death, doomed souls! The accursed runes and their bearers are gathering!"

"Demon! I shall purge your spirit and cast you back into the abyss!" Kalinor yelled as he swung his sword.

The evil knight countered with his own sword, then leapt across the waterway to the other side.

"How did he…" Miakis stared in bewilderment at the superhuman feat.

"I am off to contribute to the doom of this world! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The demon let out a crazed guffaw as he disappeared in a black haze.

"Damn!" Kalinor cursed.

"Sir Kalinor, what just happened?" Faroush stood puzzled like his companions.

"Kalinor? I suppose that is what this being is called. Good sir, I, myself, am not Kalinor. As the entity of the Rune of Peace, I needed to use this body as a vessel so that I could suppress the demon known as Yuber, or the entity of the Rune of War." Said the man in the black armor.

"But if you aren't Kalinor…then who are you?" Rahal asked.

"I, the keeper of the Rune of Peace, am called Pesmerga." Pesmerga bowed.

"So this demon…Yuber…does he have the power to destroy the world?" Miakis worried as she stood closer to Faroush.

"On his own? No. He has no more power than the Rune of War itself. He thrives on chaos. It gives him satisfaction. However, if he were to obtain the power of another rune…a True Rune…there's no telling what his capabilities will be. One thing is for sure, however. He cannot be killed, because he is a spirit, and has no physical presence." Pesmerga explained as he stared into the blade of his sword.

"Can't be killed? Then how are we supposed to fight him?" Faroush asked.

"You would leave that task up to me. Only I have the power to counteract his runic powers. Only I can eliminate him." Pesmerga gritted his teeth.

-------------------------

In an instant, a robed man appeared in front of Richard. He gasped as he drew his dirk. Lymsleia shrieked in horror and surprise as she clung to Luserina. The man coughed as he collapsed onto the ground, dropping his staff.

"Who are you!" Richard yelled as he stood at the ready.

"I…I…am Soldedt…young man….I require…and audience with…your Queen or…commander…" Soldedt strained to speak.

"I…I'm the Queen…" Lymsleia responded in a quivering voice.

"Your Majesty, no. Who knows where this guy is from and who he really is!" Richard cautioned.

"You…are a worthy soldier…however…I desperately need the help of your Queen and your country…" Soldedt coughed.

Lymsleia felt a certain calm come over her as she walked to Richard's side to speak to the man.

"Strange man…Soldedt…what do you desire of the Queen of Falena?" Lym asked.

"Young Queen…I am an elder from Nagarea…I bring you ill news of my home country…The Supreme Elder…Kardon…has betrayed our country…and sent it spiraling into the clutches of war…I wanted to tell you…that it wasn't the will of the people of Nagarea to enter into a war…it was because of Kardon's deception…." Soldedt moaned as he rolled over exposing his charred flank and burned robe.

"Oh no! Oh, my…Richard, we have to find a doctor!" Lymsleia screamed as she ran to the injured sage. She got on her knees and placed her hand on his chest to feel his weak heartbeat.

"Such…a trusting Queen…you must be loved by your people…you must never betray them…if you do well by them…they will never stand against you…don't make the mistakes that I made…" Soldedt's eyes began to wander.

Richard returned with a man in a white smock.

"By the Feitas! Where did this man come from!" The doctor gasped.

"It looks like he's been burned, Dr. Murad. Can you help him?" Luserina pleaded.

"This…this is no burn from fire…this was caused by magic…I don't know if I can do anything for him. I can try to ease his pain…" Murad said as he sprinkled a powdery substance into Soldedt's mouth.

"Aaah…the pain…is fading…" Soldedt passed out.

"Don't worry, your majesty. He's still alive, but we've got to get him in a bed so I can try to treat him." Murad explained.

"There's a free room over here, just outside this corridor, I'll get it ready, Dr. Murad," Luserina offered.

"Very good, Lady Luserina. Let's just hope this doesn't become a popular occurrence…" Murad acknowledged.

-------------------------

"Sir Kyle."

Kyle whirled his head around as his concentration on Sagiri's backside was broken.

"What?"

In front of him stood Shula Valya and Boz Wilde, accompanied by Nifsara and Sharmista.

"Oh, Lord Shula, Lord Wilde…and Sharmista…hello. How have you been, my good lady?" Kyle bowed and kissed her hand while she blushed.

"Excuse me." Nifsara became flustered as she was ignored.

"I enjoyed our days of working together, and I hope you've come to work alongside me once again…" Kyle attempted to serenade the beautiful woman.

"EXCUSE ME." Nifsara raised her voice and began to reach for Kyle.

"Whoa, there, boy!" Boz said as he stepped between the two.

"Aww, Lord Wilde, I was just…" Kyle was interrupted.

"You had best watch your manners completely. The other one was about to deck you." Boz whispered to Kyle.

"I see…" Said the Rogue Knight as he swapped deadly glances with Nifsara.

"Sagiri? Oh my, I'm delighted that we've found you…alive." Shula commented.

Sagiri stopped and tilted her head.

"What do you mean, Lord Shula?"

"A rather angry silver haired warrior was searching for you. He said that you were the last. I do believe that he had half a mind to kill you, milady." Shula approached her.

"It must be about what he said during the war… I see. I am prepared to meet whatever fate he intends to deal me." Sagiri let her head drop, but a sudden noise caused her to jolt.

"SAGIRI!" Nakula yelled as he burst through the doors of the palace.

He launched his spear at her head, but she nonchalantly stepped to the side and let it embed itself into a pillar. He rushed at her, bearing hunter's knives. She easily ducked and dodged each swipe as Nakula's anger grew more intense with each near miss.

"Sagiri, no!" Yelled Shigure as he ran into the chamber.

"Shigure! Let her go," Nifsara said as she stepped in front of him.

Nakula had finally forced Sagiri toward the pillar with his spear, he lunged for her as she jumped backwards and launched off of his weapon. Taking it as an insult to his skill, Nakula raged and yanked his spear from its temporary home. Swing after swing, he missed, Sagiri's hair simply flapping in the breeze from each unsuccessful attempt at her life. In a blind fury, Nakula raised his spear above his head for a killing blow, but as he did, he saw a flash, then felt a pain in his cheek, then looked forward and stopped in place.

Sagiri had a single kunai pointing between his eyes, barely touching his skin.

"You can't do it, Nakula. You don't have the power." Sagiri muttered.

Nakula winced as his pride was dealt a mortal strike. He dropped his spear and hit his knees. Tears began to fill his eyes.

"Why…why can't I kill you…why can't I avenge my family…why…" He shuddered.

"The path to true forgiveness first leads down the path to self forgiveness," Shula advised. "Nakula, it is foolish, as well as selfish to continue to seek retribution through spreading more death."

"But Shula…what of the other lives she stole before the ones of my family?" Nakula clenched his fists.

"Is her life any less valuable than those she took while she was in Nether Gate? Is a murder for the sake of revenge any less a murder than one of malice or war?" Shula asked, knowing very well the answer that lurked inside Nakula's brain.

"Lord Shula…" Nakula bowed his head in submission.

Sagiri reached down and grabbed Nakula's hand. He looked up in half surprise and half disgust.

"Nakula…I am to become a Queen's Knight. My job will be to protect rather than to kill. I still have no memory of the matters of which you speak. That itself should be testament enough to you that my worst days are behind me. I will not ask for forgiveness, because I know it is not mine to request. I just ask that you allow me to do my duty to serve penance for whatever ill acts I committed earlier in my life…" Sagiri gazed into Nakula's wet eyes with the deceptive gentleness she possessed.

"I…know of the duty you speak of…I will allow you to fulfill that duty. But I will be watching. Watching and waiting…" Nakula vowed.

"I know. Just like you always had been." Sagiri nodded, then walked past her would-be assassin.


	10. Chapter 9

--------------------

CHAPTER 9

--------------------

It had been two weeks since Faroush and Miakis returned from Sauronix. Much had happened over that time, but the looming war had seemingly stalled.

Belcoot and Marina were united in matrimony. Dinn, Sagiri, Belcoot, Roy, and Richard all had their official knighting ceremony. Convoys from the Island Nations sent in reinforcements led by Bernadette Egan. On top of all of this, Lymsleia discussed with her brother his relationship with Miakis.

"You wanted to see me, Lym?"

"Yes…I-I just wanted to tell you that…I'm fine with what you're doing." The words merely tumbled out of Lymsleia's mouth, as her resignation took away any assertiveness in her speech.

"Fine with what I'm doing? What do you mean?" Faroush raised an eyebrow, as well as his heart rate.

"I know about you and Miakis. I know why you gave me a new bodyguard. But…it's okay. I don't want to be selfish…Mother wouldn't like that…" Lym shrugged her shoulders as she let out a sigh.

"So you do know…That's good. You know, Lym, I wasn't doing anything to make you upset or sad. It looks like you're handling it as best you can right now. But you know, we won't leave you. We plan on staying right here, and since she's a Queen's Knight, she'll always be here to protect you, no matter what." Faroush said as he sat down next to Lymsleia and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I know…and I keep telling myself that I should be happy. I just wanted to let you be able to marry who you wanted instead of forcing you into something…like I would have been with the Sacred Games…so I guess…I am happy for you and Miakis," Lym looked up with that marvelous smile of hers with her shiny brown eyes.

"Thank you, Lym." Faroush hugged his little sister.

Their filial embrace was interrupted by a commotion in the hallway. Faroush ran to the door and stepped into the corridor.

"Commander! Thank the Feitas, I found you! We've received word of an advance invasion force in Hershville. It's Nagarea!" Dinn hurriedly explained.

Faroush looked back at Lymsleia, who nodded in acknowledgement, then he took off down the hall with Dinn.

"Belcoot and Roy have gone with a company to Stormfist to bolster the defenses. Sable and Estrise have both sent reinforcements, as well as the unit led by Lord Shula from Armes and the soldiers from the Island Nations. Raftfleet has stationed itself north of Port Spinacks. Lordlake has sent its soldiers to Leclar to assist them. Doraat has been secured and is ready for battle, and Sauronix has its sights set to the North."

"Thank you, Dinn. That sounds like all of the bases have been covered. You haven't received any word from any new Queen's Knights, have you?" Faroush asked.

"No, Your Majesty. Are there supposed to be any more?" Dinn seemed perplexed.

"Well, I assume that one of them turned the offer down, however, there is one more besides that. I'm actually not even sure if the message was delivered. But at this point, all I can do is assume that we have all of the help we're going to get." Faroush concluded.

"We are prepared to ride by horse to Stormfist. Are you ready, Commander?" Belcoot greeted as Faroush and Dinn exited the Sun Palace.

Faroush drew his sword and checked it. "I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."

An arm wrapped around Faroush' bicep as he tried to walk forward. He turned around to face his source of resistance.

"Miakis? Yes?" He asked.

"So this is it, huh?" She sighed.

"I guess so." Faroush dropped his head slightly.

"You know, I thought maybe over the past few weeks that they had decided not to invade, and that it was all just a bad dream…" Miakis pulled closer to Faroush.

"Yeah, me too. I actually would have been okay with it had it been another of Kyle's jokes." The Prince chuckled.

Miakis looked into his eyes with a bright smile, but a single tear contradicted her apparent mood.

"Faroush…I don't want it to end yet. Not this way…"

"Miakis…it won't end this way. Not here, not now. We'll get through this, no matter what it takes."

Faroush wasn't really sure what he was promising. He didn't know what the outcome would be, and he didn't know exactly what he was facing. Before, he had always had someone like Lucretia to take the reigns and lead the forces to victory…but now he had nothing of the sort…nothing but his own life experiences to guide him through to the end, whatever that end may be.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Roy galloped in on his horse. "Hershville has fallen! Some crazy commander in black armor is leading them toward Stormfist!"

This news drew Pesmerga's attention. "It can't be…not already…Prince Faroush, we must ride immediately!"

Faroush looked at Miakis, who knew exactly what to do. All of the knights took to their steeds and led the First Division of the Falenan Royal Army thundering toward Stormfist.

--------------------

From a ship in the harbor, Kardon gazed upon the destruction of the port city of Hershville.

"Your Magnificence, who is this general who has almost single handedly defeated Hershville with only 300 men!" An assistant asked.

"I know very little about the man, myself. It was he who came to me asking for only three hundred men to lead against Falena. I didn't question the man's intent. I simply honored his bloodlust and humored him. It appears to be a worthy gamble. He calls himself Yuber." Kardon stroked his chin as the flames of war reflected in his dark pupils.

"What shall we do next, Your Benevolence?" The assistant wheezed as he groveled on the ground.

"We strike for the heart. Tell General Yuber to advance Northeast to Stormfist, and after there, eastward to take Sol-Falena. I want to end this quickly." Kardon smirked as he turned and retired to the cabin of the ship.

---------------------

"Feeble being! I rid you of your soul!" Yuber slashed downward, his stained blade yet again tasting the blood and flesh of another victim. He cackled in sadistic glee as he raised his sword into the thick night air.

"General Yuber," Came a voice, disrupting Yuber's joyful episode.

"Speak, worm! What do you want with me? Death maybe? Hahaha!" Yuber pointed his weapon at the man.

"I bring orders from the Supreme Elder, Kardon." The man said sternly.

"Ah, yes, the old man. What does he want?" Yuber grunted.

"Old man…such an insult!" The messenger began to lose his temper.

"I asked you what he wanted, worm, now out with it or I'll spill your blood!" Yuber said as he started to throttle the obviously smaller man.

"He…brings you his tidings…and is pleased with your quick work…he wants you to go to the Northeast…to the stronghold of…STORMfistgggggggghhhhhhhhh" The messenger's head went limp to the side as his eyes bulged even in death.

"Stupid mortal, I take orders from no one. I do what I please and operate by my own devices." Yuber tossed the body into the water. "MEN! WE RIDE!"

The bloodcurdling call rallied the soldiers to their mounts as they rode east, northeast from Hershville.

--------------------------

"Commander! What's that?" Dinn shouted over the pounding of the hooves.

"I don't know, Sagiri, can you make it out?" Faroush looked back.

"Torches! It's an army…a small one." Sagiri replied.

"HALT!" Faroush ordered as he circled the cavalry into rank. "Can you tell if it's a hostile force?"

"They don't look like Falenans. There's blood all over them." Sagiri observed from afar.

Suddenly, the flames quenched, as well as any light provided by them. The Falenans stood ready for combat in the bleak darkness. The rain hissed as the torrential downpour punished the soil beneath.

The drops sounded like massive war drums to Faroush as they seemingly fell slower and harder. Then for a moment, everything seemed still.

An explosion erupted from the middle of the ranks as a pillar of fire shot into the air sending horse and soldier alike flying into the night.

"They're upon us!" Faroush shouted as his steed reared up in response to the fire.

"Faroush, they're over there!" Miakis yelled as their men were being mercilessly slaughtered in the opaque darkness.

"We've got to see them!" Faroush raised his right hand into the air as a blue light radiated from his hand. The symbol of the Dawn Rune rose into the air and illuminated the battlefield.

"Attack!" Dinn yelled as he slashed through three soldiers with his massive katana.

"KILL THE ONE WITH THE RUNE!" A thunderous voice arose from the attackers.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the black knight appeared at Faroush's side. His horse was spooked and the Prince tumbled to the ground. As he struggled to regain his footing in the mud, Faroush felt himself being lifted by his wrist into the air. He reached for his sword and unsheathed it, but it was knocked from his grasp.

"Aaaah, it is the accursed child. What has it been, two weeks? You are not worthy of such power. This rune would best serve my needs." Yuber reared back his sword to slice at Faroush's hand, but another blade interrupted the blow.

"YUBER!" Pesmerga yelled in rage as he stalemated the strike.

"Why can't I get rid of you!" Yuber responded as he shrugged off his Yin and refocused his attention on the rune.

Just as Faroush thought he had lost, an arrow screamed through the air and punctured Yuber's wrist where his armor exposed his flesh. He immediately released his grip and Faroush quickly rolled in to the commotion. More arrows mixed with the rain and hit their marks as the Nagarean rogues fell lifeless onto the earth.

Yuber nonchalantly pulled the arrow from his arm and looked to the side. Pesmerga's sword was inches from his face before he dissipated into the ground, one with the night once again.

"DEMON! COME BACK AND FACE ME!" Pesmerga shouted over the cheers of survival.

"Faroush, who was that?" Miakis asked.

Torches flared up around the countryside and descended onto their location. A young looking woman with long blonde hair approached.

"My, my, Prince. You've changed for the better, I see. However, you still seem to be helpless without the aid of the elves. I received your letter about the same time I got the news of the invasion. I hope you know you cost me a long argument with Isato…much longer than I prefer. As per your request, as much as I would love to decline and return to Alseid, I must bend my pride to the wishes of Lady Haswar and the protection of my homeland. I am at your service as a Queen's Knight, and my people are at your disposal." The woman bowed.

"Urda! We're so glad to see you!" Miakis squealed with delight.

"Okay…" Urda halfheartedly reacted to Miakis' girlish glee.

"Thank you, Lady Urda. I understand how difficult this decision was for you. I will do my best to make it worth your while." Faroush bowed with water dripping from his silver locks.

"Please…don't bow to me, Prince." Urda turned her head slightly and put up a palm.

"Very well, then. We must hurry to Stormfist. We don't know how many soldiers are out there." Faroush said as he found his horse and mounted it.

Urda walked alongside Miakis as the journey continued.

"Urda…why do you hate us?" Miakis asked.

"Hate you?" Urda was caught off-guard.

"Humans. Why do you hate humans?" Miakis clarified.

"I don't…hate humans…" Urda cut herself off.

"You seem like you do, though. You always treat us like we're inferior and act like we don't deserve respect. I've never seen you act like you did a bit ago when you agreed to be a Queen's Knight." Miakis looked into Urda's eyes.

"I feel…like I owe it to Prince Faroush…and to someone else…" Urda turned her head away. "I once fell in love with a human. He was a good man, very kind, very loving. It seemed like a very short time to me, but he spent most of his lifetime with me. Then I watched him die of his age. It was at that time that I despised humans. I hated them for their frailty and their brevity of life…what good is falling in love when you know that you'll watch them die?" Urda increased her pace and left Miakis with a very bewildered and almost shocked expression on her face.


	11. Chapter 10

----------------------

CHAPTER 10

----------------------

The morning sun shot rays through the clouds as the rain finally ebbed to a simple shower. The combination of the two was nearly choking as humidity flooded the lungs of the weary soldiers that had traveled through the night to reach Stormfist. Villagers flooded from the gates to tend to the wounded and tired warriors. Gizel, Belcoot, and Roy appeared from within the city walls.

"Whoa, Prince, you okay? You gotta be careful out there! What happened?" Roy blurted.

"We were ambushed by a company of Nagarean soldiers…their commander used a rune to sneak up on us. Unfortunately, he was the only survivor of his forces, and we lost nearly half of our men." Faroush coughed, his sickness from exposure to the colder temperatures and rain starting to show.

"How many of them were there, Commander?" Belcoot asked as he surveyed the damage.

"My guess is around fifty." Sagiri inserted.

"Fifty? Only fifty men did this?" Gizel showed genuine surprise as he beheld the numerous wounded men being carried into his city.

"Their leader isn't human," Pesmerga entered the discussion. "He himself is the child of a True Rune. He thrives on war and gains power and pleasure from it. Few equal him on the battlefield."

"He tried to kill the Prince, too, but Urda and the elves showed up to help," Miakis chimed in with her usual optimism.

"We did what anyone else would have done in the same situation," Urda acknowledged.

"Well, enough of this discussion out here, how about we make our way to a more hospitable meeting place, and in the meantime, you can all make use of the baths and rooms in the Godwin mansion." Gizel motioned as he started toward the gate.

Faroush shrugged as he and his companions entered Stormfist.

----------------------------

"Your Majesty, Soldedt is coming around. He's asking for you." Richard announced as he entered the throne room.

Lymsleia nodded as she hopped off of the massive chair and made her way down the walkway, Luserina at her side.

As the door opened to Murad's makeshift clinic, the Queen gasped. Soldedt's skin actually looked like it was glowing orange.

"Oh, my…" Lym stuttered.

"Your Majesty, please don't touch him. Strangely enough, he's as hot as he looks." Murad cautioned as he stuck out his arm.

"It's okay…Your Highness…I just…had to tell you something…before I go…"Soldedt wheezed.

"You mean…" Lym's bottom lip quivered.

"Yes, young one, I am to pass on soon…but I wanted you to have this." Soldedt raised his hand bearing a brightly lit rune.

"What is it?" Lymsleia asked.

"This is the original Holy Rune…one of the twenty-seven true runes…like the Sun Rune in your family, the Holy Rune was passed on through the head clergy of Nagarea…recently, corrupt clergymen forced me to step down from my post, but I would not relinquish the rune…I believe that it's you that truly deserves to bear this holiest of runes…I believe that you will not misuse it…please…extend your right hand…" Soldedt winced in pain as he laid his palm on Lymsleia's.

"Careful, Your Majesty!" Richard blurted as he reached for Lym's hand.

"No, Richard, it's okay. It's not hot." Lymsleia said as a glow enveloped her hand.

After a moment, Lym removed her hand and stared at the symbol she now bore in her palm: the Holy Rune. She looked up at Soldedt, who seemed to be speaking without moving his lips.

_Queen, you are a very good and capable ruler. You are destined for great things. All of that shall soon be revealed to you. Do not be afraid of what you see in the future, because nothing is certain, and all can be changed. You must see your mistakes before they happen and learn from them. Be wise in your decisions, and most importantly, care for those whom you love._

Soldedt smiled as he fell over the edge of the bed and into the floor. His skin was no longer glowing, and no heat was found in his body.

"He is dead," Murad said as he gave up on finding a pulse.

----------------------------

Kardon sat at a massive table loaded with exotic and domestic foods. Grapes, apples, oranges, chicken, turkey, beef, ibis, trout, and calamari: nothing was spared for the Supreme Elder.

A streak of juice ran down his chin as he bit into a plum tomato.

"Then what good are you to me?" Kardon grumbled as a seed flew from his palate.

A large priest stood before him. He was roughly Kardon's size: about three hundred pounds, but the priest was mainly muscle, while Kardon exhibited more of a pudge. The priest slammed his staff into the floor.

"But Supreme Elder! This is madness! There is no evidence that our men were slain by Falenan soldiers! Additionally, there is no recorded order of a combat-ready party officially being sent to Falena!" The priest stamped his massive foot.

Kardon threw down the second half of his tomato and stood from his chair.

"How _dare_ you address the Supreme Elder in such a fashion! Do you realize the error of your ways! Slimy dog! Remove yourself from my presence! As a matter of fact, remove yourself from my country! You are hereby exiled by Holy Nagarea! I cast you out!" Kardon slammed his hand down into a loaf of bread.

"I know thee not…" The priest sighed as he turned his back to walk away.

"Gantetsu! If you insist on continuing your disgrace, I shall end it!" Kardon raged.

"Not necessary," Gantetsu replied as he exited the building.

Kardon flopped back into his seat and continued chewing his tomato.

"Has there been any word from General Yuber?"

A servant stepped forward.

"No, sir, Your Excellency. There has been no word, and no one has returned."

Kardon yelled again. "Then what are you doing here? Remind me why I haven't already done away with your life! It is your job to know the answers to my questions! Find that general and my men, or you will suffer a sad fate!"

"Y-yes, Your Excellency!" The servant flinched as bread crumbs hit him in the face, then he scampered out of the room.

"**Ignorant old man…**"

"What? Who is there?" Kardon's eyes danced around the room.

"**You have no idea of the power you're facing. You don't control me. Don't presume you do.**"

"I know that voice…Yuber, is that you? Where are my men?"

"**Such a fool. Your "men" fell to the swords of your enemies. It was rather amusing.**" Yuber chuckled.

"You mock me! You insolent rebel! I can have you killed!" Kardon mangled his face in anger.

"**Oh, you could, could you? Well now, that wouldn't cause much of an uproar, now would it? No. In order for that to happen, somebody important would have to die…" **Yuber stalled in mid-sentence as he appeared behind Kardon.

Kardon screamed in pain as Yuber thrust his arms into the shoulders of the clergyman. The black knight pulled himself forward and merged with Kardon's body.

"Someone like me…" Yuber said in Kardon's voice.

Soldiers and sailors turned their head toward the Hershville Administration Building as they heard sinister laughter from within.

--------------------------

"So how about it?" Gizel asked.

"Gizel, you know my struggles with this. You know that I can't exactly say yes and let you in. No matter how you are now, people don't easily forget the events of a year ago." Faroush explained.

"I see. It's difficult, but I understand. I know that you've come as close to forgiveness as possible, and for that I am grateful. Just so you know, though, I will continue to do whatever I can do to show my support. I'll prove them wrong. I'll prove them all wrong." Gizel clenched his fists.

"That sounds like someone I knew. Someone we knew. A certain former Queen's Knight…" Faroush looked at Gizel.

Gizel's face calmed.

"You're right. Again. I'll leave you to your duties while I attend to mine, Your Majesty." Gizel bowed and left the room.

Miakis caught the door before it shut.

"Can I come in, Faroush?"

"Yeah, come on in." He smiled.

Faroush was relieved to see Miakis' face. Even though it had only been about a day, it seemed like it had been forever since he had seen her. She threw her arms around him. After a moment, Faroush felt a wet spot forming on his shoulder.

"Miakis? Are you okay?" He asked as he rubbed her back.

"I could have lost you back there…if that had happened…then what use would I have been? I wouldn't have been able to live with myself…let alone face Lym. How could I tell her that I let you die?" Miakis sobbed.

"But you didn't, Miakis. You didn't let me die. Look at me." Miakis lifted her head with tears still streaming down her face. "I promise from here on out that I will never leave you, by death or otherwise. I need you to be with me. When I'm not with you, I feel like a part of me is missing. For the life of me, I don't know how I got along without you before, but I know that I can't do that now."

Miakis sniffed and broke her most beautiful smile she had ever shown.

"I love you, Faroush."

"I love you, too, Miakis…"

-------------------------

The clouds began to darken once again as the rain intensified. Ocean gales seemingly blew the wind horizontally in the port town. None of this deterred the "new" leader of the Nagarean forces from holding a gathering of his soldiers in the court of Hershville.

"My Paladin! Today we gather our forces to launch a decisive strike against Stormfist! Reinforcements have been alerted and should arrive at Stormfist in two days. In the meantime, we will set up a strategic siege and blockade of the city. We will not fight to take the city, only to keep everyone inside. We will stand guard as the people of Stormfist starve and suffer. We will destroy the bridges and strand them in their famine! Such is the price of spilling Nagarean blood!" Yuber announced as Kardon.

Such slow suffering was like a gentle breeze to the Knight of War. The key was not to indulge, but rather take the time to enjoy the delicacy of pestilence.

"Come! I shall lead you from the front of the ranks!"

The bloodthirsty cheers echoed through the stone buildings as the wave of death formed at the edge of the sea.

-------------------------

_Who goes there?_

"Your master"

_My master? I have no master, mortal!_

"I am no mortal, and I will be your master."

_What manner of sorcery is this!_

"You are now a tool to serve my purpose. In this form, your runic abilities are lessened."

_Release me from this prison, you fool!_

"You will stay your thoughts, or I will shatter you and cast your consciousness into oblivion."

The sound of a blade being sheathed echoed in the darkness of the cave. The bearer of the weapon stepped over the burned and bloody bodies of the guards while leaving the treacherous catacombs.

----------------------------


	12. Chapter 11

-------------------------

CHAPTER 11

-------------------------

"Commander Faroush! The enemy approaches from the West!"

"They're planning to assault the Northern Gates! Shut them and take the positions along the wall!" Faroush barked.

"Commander, another company is coming from the Southeast! Here is a letter from then, sir!"

_Brother, _

_Due to recent events in Sol-Falena, I have decided to come to Stormfist to aid you in its defense. I bring more soldiers from Lordlake, Leclar, and Rainwall. I want to lead like Mother did, I want to be actively defending my country. I know you will object, but it is not your decision._

_Lymsleia_

"Not my decision? Damn it, Lym! Open the Southern gates and let them in, they're Falenan soldiers! And when they get here, bring the Queen to me!" Faroush yelled.

"The Queen?" A soldier asked shockingly.

Faroush merely gave the soldier a glare that would melt steel. The soldier scurried down the fort wall.

"Faroush, what is Lymsleia doing here?" Miakis asked with concern in here brown eyes.

"I have no idea…but there's no point in arguing with her. She's bringing reinforcements, but I have a bad feeling about all of this…something isn't right." The Prince scratched his head as he squinted one eye.

"You're right. Something feels strange about this whole situation." Miakis gazed across the land, beholding the approaching army. "That doesn't look like enough men to take Stormfist. You think they're planning a siege?"

"If they are, we can break it. You've seen these things in action," Faroush raised his hands in front of his face. "But aside from that, I have an inkling that there's something else going on."

"Commander Faroush," Sagiri pointed. "Look, that's got to be Kardon…"

At the front of the battalions, a man in a bleached white robe marched with his golden staff. Despite his size, he moved with exceptional vigor, nearly leaving his paladin behind.

"No doubt, that's him." Belcoot confirmed.

Faroush turned to observe the city. Instead of the usual cacophony of shops and markets, the streets were now filled with soldiers, clanking around in their armor and rustling their swords and spears. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crimson clad woman and a violet clad woman top the staircase to the wall. Lymsleia emerged from behind them, with Luserina and Richard at her sides.

"What in the name of the Gods are you thinking?" Faroush asked as his sibling feelings boiled to the surface.

"I'm thinking that I want to help my people. From what I've heard, you're going to need all the help you can get. Soldiers from Armes are on their way here as well. I want to end this right here, today." Lymsleia pointed at the ground.

"That's silly! We can't expect to end this today. There's too much that set in motion. Look out there, that's the Supreme Elder of Nagarea. He's leading the army himself. If that's the case, then we can expect other attacks besides this one." Faroush shook his head, partially in exasperation, partially in anger.

"Sir!" A guard interrupted. "We've received word from Doraat and Sauronix. Port Spinacks has been captured and a blockade has been set up. Doraat is under siege and Sauronix castle has been cut off from the rest of Falena. The soldiers from Leclar have been sent home to guard the town."

Faroush looked into Lymsleia's eyes. An unspoken 'I'm sorry' was what he found there. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"We need a strategist. A good strategist would have been able to see this coming." The Prince turned his head to gaze out at the rapidly growing siege force.

"A strategist, you say? Good think I was sent back." A female voice said from the staircase.

"Lelei?" Miakis' eyes widened in surprise.

The brunette woman nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, Lady Miakis. I tried to convince Lady Lucretia to return with me, but unfortunately, she was adamant that I come alone. I'm prepared to offer any assistance I could provide."

"What a lucky turn of events…" Faroush scrunched his brow. "Lelei, I assume you're aware of the situation at hand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. A force has taken Port Spinacks and cut off reinforcements from Sauronix, a siege has sealed off Doraat and stalled the reinforcements from Leclar, Hershville has been taken, a naval blockade has shut down trade, and a siege is in process here in Stormfist. Is that all correct?" Lelei nearly ran out of fingers to count all of the conflicts.

"Very good. Now, given what we have here in Stormfist, what would be your recommendation?" Faroush asked the tactician.

"Looking at their numbers, I would have to say that the best plan of action would be to meet them head on. You still have your runes, I assume?" Lelei surveyed the battlefield.

"Both of them right here." Faroush held out his palms.

"Plus mine." Lymsleia held out her right hand exposing her newly acquired rune.

The Prince's eyes widened.

"What is that?"

"This is the rune the kind man from Nagarea gave me before he died. He said that it would be able to help us." Lymsleia explained.

Faroush sighed with frustration. "Wonderful, that's all we need. An unknown rune from a guy on the other side. How do you know that this isn't part of their plan, Lym?"

Lymsleia stomped her foot. "Look, do you have any other ideas? He looked like he had been attacked by magic. Kyle and Murad believed his story, too."

The Prince sighed in resignation. "Okay, Lelei. You see what we have here. We also have the Elven bowmen. What's the plan?"

"First, you will need to split the siege with your runes. You'll need to hit in the middle of the front ranks, so they'll move to the sides. The archers should then barrage the two halves. After the first round of arrows, Prince, you'll use your rune again on the right flank. Queen Lymsleia, you'll use yours on the left. By this time, infantry sent out in boats led by Sirs Dinn and Belcoot should have made it to land to finish off the forces with a pincer attack." Lelei explained.

"Wow," Roy said with his mouth gaping wide.

"That actually sounds great…" Dinn exhaled.

"And if they storm the bridge?" Faroush asked.

"Lady Miakis will remain here and use her Earth Rune to block passage." Lelei pointed at the purple haired knight and winked.

Miakis raised an eyebrow. "Eh?"

"You are prepared to stay here with your Commander, right?" Lelei inquired.

Miakis coughed and looked at Faroush. "Yes…yes, of course!" She said nervously.

"Very well then. Sir Dinn, Sir Belcoot, will you please get your soldiers into position at the docks? Once the initial rune attack begins, you are to set out for the shore. Try to land in the overgrowth and slowly make your way out behind them. When you see the second set of explosions, that is your cue." Lelei directed.

"Yes, madam." The knights nodded as they took to their battalions and disappeared into the crowded passageways.

Faroush walked over to the edge of a parapet and propped himself up. Miakis put her arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"So this is it, huh?" Miakis asked.

"Looks like it. But you know, even with Lelei here, something still doesn't seem right. It's too easy. Why would you lay siege to a city, but not cut off the other side?" Faroush exhaled heavily as his shoulders shrugged in response.

"It'll be okay, Faroush. No matter what happens, we'll make it through." Miakis kissed his cheek.

-------------------------

"Form rank and prepare for attack!" Kardon screamed to his men.

The mass of paladin raised their shields and swords and chanted in unison. "NAGAREA IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!"

As the troops advanced, a small twinkle of red light could be seen above the gates leading to Stormfist. A smirk ran across Kardon's face as he extended his hands to each side.

A massive explosion of crimson energy erupted from behind him, slinging the ironclad warriors tumbling through the air. As planned, the ranks split and formed two separate halves. Mutilated bodies now fell from the sky along with the raindrops, the armor plating melted to the skin of the corpses. Still, the units continued on.

Suddenly, it sounded like the wind was picking up, but the cries of pain proved otherwise as soaked arrows plummeted from the grey clouds piercing the weak spots of the Nagarean holy warriors. This halted the line of advance as the soldiers formed a barrier with their shields raised.

Now Kardon beheld a faint white twinkle and a light blue twinkle from the walls of Stormfist. To his right, a rain of blue fireballs engulfed the phalanx. To his left, a beam of light burst through the stormclouds and paved a path of destruction through the ranks leaving a trench in the ground.

The remaining soldiers gathered in a small group directly behind Kardon.

Battle cries erupted as soldiers emerged from the hills. Slash after slash, the Nagarean paladin fell.

Finally, the Falenan troops surrounded a handful of soldiers, including Kardon.

----------------------

Pesmerga walked up onto the wall. "He's here…"

Down on the battlefield, the Nagarean soldiers disarmed as they surrendered. One by one, they were escorted to the gates.

Kardon, however, stood his ground pridefully. When told to disarm, he merely grinned with daring at the two Queen's Knights. A spark of red shined from the end of his staff as the silver of a kitana flashed at nearly the same time.

"NOOOOO!" Pesmerga shouted from the city fortress.

----------------------------

Kardon halted movement of his staff and chuckled once before Dinn's blade slashed from his neck down to his waist, spilling his blood onto the battle plain. The Supreme Elder choked and grabbed his neck as he fell to the ground. As soon as he hit the grass, the soldiers jumped backward as they beheld a black knight standing in place.

"**Fools…"** Yuber remarked as he swung his arm.

A shockwave dispersed Dinn, Belcoot and the infantrymen across the open prairie. Each of them landing sprawled and unconscious on their backs.

"**See Pesmerga! You cannot stop me! In this place, it is I that has control!" **Yuber cackled as he disappeared in a black flash.

----------------------

"Oh no…no…what have we done…I…I couldn't….not again….Lucretia…" A single tear fell from Lelei's eye and she bowed her head in disgrace.

Faroush saw his new tactician's reaction and knew it was a time to bolster his forces.

"Listen everyone! Gather the soldiers, everyone but the city guard needs to immediately come with me and join the soldiers in Leclar as they try to reclaim Doraat!" He turned to Lymsleia. "Thank you for coming. I know I was harsh earlier, but it's only because I worried about you."

Lym smiled. "I knew that. It's okay. I think it's time for me to go back to Sol-Falena while you take care of all of this. It's getting a little weird."

"I agree. Luserina, Richard, please, take care of the Queen." Faroush ordered as he and Miakis rushed down the stairs and vanished into the commotion.

-------------------------

"Ah, there it is…Falena…"

From the top of a frosty peak, the being beheld the vast expanse in of Sable. From one side, Armes soldiers entered the gate of the city. From the other, the same soldiers, mixed with the mountain corps from Sable exited in a ranked line toward the heartland.

"This looks to be rather easy, wouldn't you agree?"

_As if I have a choice, you insolent demon._

"I'll take that as a yes, cursed rune."

_Take it how you wish. I'm merely an unwilling participant in this trivial matter._

"Oh, you'll see, O Rune of the Night. You'll see how trivial this is after everything plays out."

A calm laughter echoed throughout the snowy mountain range.


	13. Chapter 12

-------------------------

CHAPTER 12

-------------------------

A lone soldier rambled along the countryside clutching his wounded shoulder. Tears of cowardice rolled down his cheeks as he fled the battlefield. His company had been defeated and the Supreme Elder killed, there was no reason for him to stay. He had to preserve his own life.

Yuber sensed the cowardly selfishness and materialized in front of the fleeing traitor.

"**You realize that you could be put to death for deserting your fellow soldiers and allowing the Supreme Elder to be taken…**"

"I…I…I…" The soldier could only stutter.

"**Being the graceful person that I am, I'll allow you to escape that fate if you pledge to serve my purpose.**" Yuber raised his palm and glanced over the back of it in arrogance.

"I….yes…yes, please…" The soldier bowed his head.

"**Yes, you will serve my purpose nicely…**" Yuber snickered.

The lone soldier staggered his way into Hershville.

"They killed him! They killed the Supreme Elder! They killed Kardon!" He proclaimed as he passed out on the ground.

Other soldiers gathered around him and immediately took him to the infirmary. It couldn't be confirmed, but one medic claimed that the soldier was actually smiling during the amputation of his arm.

----------------------

Lord Solis Raulbel wandered out onto his patio, his mind distressing over the deployment of his soldiers and the large amount of Armesian troops passing through his town. A sudden change drew his attention.

As if the source of water was dammed up, the rain went from a deluge to nonexistent.

Solis looked toward the sky to see that the grey clouds had been replaced with the darkness of night. Since no lanterns were lit in the town, the streets were complete black. The clanking of soldiers' armor had halted as confused voices arose. A chilling wind passed over the town, then faded.

Drops of rain began to fall as the sky returned to a dull silver color. The inhibited light of day once again lit the streets of Sable. The streets full of the bodies of warriors.

Solis remained in his courtyard on his back, his head several feet from his body.

-------------------------

_To love…or to do my duty…can I do both? Can love and duty coexist?_

Faroush gazed at Miakis' gentle figure as she lay asleep in the bed across the room. Her serene visage conveyed her peacefulness within. For years, they had shared the pain of holding their emotions prisoner. Now she seemed content, yet he still hurt on the inside. He loved her, but would that love jeopardize his duty to his country? Would his duty jeopardize the love that he had come to find? His struggle wrenched his internal organs and prevented him from sleeping.

A slight knock disrupted the silence. Faroush got out of his bed and made his way quietly to the door.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Prince Faroush, Your Majesty, it is I, Wasil. I bring news from the battlefield." Wasil whispered.

"What news is so dire at this time of night? Is the enemy coming to Leclar?" Faroush asked impatiently.

"No, Your Majesty. As a matter of fact, the enemy is leaving. They're returning to Nagarea." Wasil tried to hold back the excitement in his voice.

"I see. I'm sure it's to hold memorial for Kardon. Regardless, we'll take what we can get. We'll not be caught off guard again. Has there been any word about Hershville?" The Prince inquired.

"The city has been abandoned…there were no survivors from the original occupation, I'm afraid." Wasil's expression turned to sadness.

"That's what I feared. Very well. At first light, send a convoy to Hershville. We can't allow it to be a ghost town free for occupation. Send word to other villages to have their own convoys go to Hershville. We must waste no time in rebuilding it. Find me in the morning and we'll work out the rest of the details." Faroush explained.

"Yes, My Liege. Good night." Wasil quietly shut the door.

"Good night, indeed." Faroush leaned against the door and sighed.

He fastened the lock tightly, then crawled into bed with Miakis. Her body heat comforted him as he was finally able to fall unconscious.

----------------------

A bitter wind blew aboard the Lino En Kuldes as it headed into port at Estrise. Crewmen raced to slow the ship as it approached land. Admiral Skald Egan stood at the front of the ship with his daughter Bernadette.

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Skald stumbled in shock as he beheld the once wonderful port town.

Now, only the tops of the windmills were visible as the rest had been swallowed up by the tide. Boxes, furniture, and various other items clunked against the hull of the ship.

"It can't be…Estrise…" Bernadette gasped as she brought her hand to her mouth.

The ship finally ran aground outside of where the city would have been. Bernadette looked for any signs of life in the area and noticed a plume of smoke coming from a small grove west of town.

"I know what you're thinking, Bern. You can go as long as you take a few men with you." Skald acknowledged.

"Okay, Father. I'll only need Yahr and Nelis." Bernadette motioned for the two as she started to descent a rope ladder that had been tossed overboard.

As they got close to the woods, a man emerged with a mohawk.

"HAHAHA! Well if it isn't Bernadette Egan! Wonderful to see you!" Boz boomed.

"Lord Wilde?" Bernadette asked.

"In the flesh! Well didn't you miss a scene? I tell you, we were just getting back here from Sol-Falena, when all of the sudden, in the middle of the day, it turned dark like the night! Because of that, the tides came in and flooded the whole place! Luckily, we managed to get everyone out and send them on to Rainwall." Boz explained.

"So the waters never receded?" Bernadette turned around to look at the expanded sea.

"No, and that's the other weird part. We aren't quite sure what's going on." Boz scratched his chin.

"Well then, I suppose Rainwall is our destination now." Bernadette nodded to Nelis.

From the ship, Skald saw a beacon of light fly into the sky.

"Alright men! Let's disembark and head northwest!" He ordered as cargo nets few over the sides of the ship.

-------------------------

"Good morning, sleepy head." Miakis giggled.

Faroush opened his eyes as he was face to face with her.

"Geez, your morning breath smells worse than a peckles…" Faroush smirked.

Miakis shoved him into the floor and stuck her tongue out.

"Yeah? Well yours doesn't exactly smell like a bed of roses either!"

"Well thanks a lot." He smiled as he rubbed his sore posterior. "I do have some better news, though."

"Oh yeah?" Miakis sat up in the bed.

"Yeah. The Nagarean forces withdrew from Falena last night. I assume they're returning for Kardon's burial. I'm sure they'll be back, but that will give us time to prepare." Faroush stood up and stretched.

"I guess that's good news. So what do you plan to do now?" Miakis asked as she tried to pose provocatively in her silky garment.

"Eh…well, I thought about going back to Sol-Falena. But then again, I thought about heading to Estrise to see if Bernadette has arrived yet." Faroush said as he walked into the showers.

"Hmph…well, yeah, I guess that would be the princely thing to do…" Miakis rolled her eyes.

An hour later, all of the Queen's Knights had boarded the boat as Logg provided the necessary flow in the water for quick travel back to the capital. They arrived in a matter of minutes, but as soon as the ship entered the lake, Logg stopped using his rune.

"Well what the…what do you suppose that is?" Logg asked as he pointed eastward.

An exceptional darkness could be seen far away. It wasn't so much like dark clouds as it was complete absence of light.

"That's not a storm…" Faroush said as his stomach cramped slightly.

"Then what is it?" Belcoot rested his hands on the side of the ship.

"Allow me to explain…" Said a phantasmal voice from the deck of the ship. The image of a female in robes appeared. "For those who do not know me, I am Leknaat, the Keeper of Balance. What you behold before you is the power of the Night Rune. Its bearer is now in that part of your country. The bearer seeks to combine the powers of the Sun, Night, Twilight, Dawn, and Star Runes. This would cause a great imbalance in the world. Sadly, I am unable to stop the advances of the rune bearer, as I myself have lost control over her. I must ask you once again to lead the Stars of Destiny, Faroush Falenas."

"I-I will, Lady Leknaat." Faroush choked.

"I knew you would, because it is written. However, from here, you control your destiny, O Tenkai Star. Please, go in victory." Leknaat dematerialized with those words.

"W-was that a g-ghost?" Roy shivered.

"No, she is a very powerful mage." Miakis explained.

"We've got to go there…we have to see what's being done…" Faroush said as he beheld the sable sky.

-------------------------

Bernadette and the others stopped in their tracks as they saw the sky begin to darken on the other side of the mountains.

"Lord Wilde, isn't that where Rainwall is located?"

"I think so, but…it looks like Estrise did!" Boz stuttered.

"Yahr, go gather the forces and meet us at Rainwall. Nelis, you, myself and Lord Wilde will go ahead and scout the area." Bernadette ordered.

"Yes, Milady." Nelis nodded.

Yahr sped back to the ship to inform Admiral Egan of the plans as the advance party set out toward the former Barows stronghold.

As they neared the city, they noticed that the water of the Feitas had grown dim. Once they reached the entrance bridge, they stopped in their tracks.

A crimson flood poured down the falls. Blood washed from the hundreds of dead bodies that lie perfectly in line inside the aqueducts.

Bernadette tried to cross the bridge, but her path was obstructed by a sword that whizzed from the sky. The blade embedded in the stone and undulated from the impact. The cutting edge was the brightest metal she had ever seen. The hilt was a deep violet with a peculiar brown shape where the guard met the handle.

"_You need not enter Rainwall. I've found it rather soothing as my own personal residence. You know as well as I do that the Barows pigs deserved a swift demise, along with their supporters."_ A figure descended from the heavens and landed just behind the sword.

"Wait…you're…Zerase…aren't you?" Nelis choked, still repulsed by the flows of blood.

"_How observant of you. I suppose I underestimate mortals at times, because they always seem to surprise me. You do realize, however, that you would be better suited to leave me to my quest. If you refuse to acquiesce, I'll simply have to send you to your fate like the inhabitants of this hedonistic city._" Zerase hissed.

"But, Zerase, how could you do this? How could you murder all of these people?" Bernadette tried to appeal to Zerase's emotions.

"_Fool, it would be impossible for you to understand the scope and true purpose of my plans. My intentions are nobler than any quest a mere mortal could pursue. I seek to reconstruct the heavens by reuniting the most sacred of runes. The Sun Rune, the Dawn Rune, the Twilight Rune, my Star Rune, and this…the Rune of the Night!_" The sorceress raised the sword into the air as it emitted a ephemeral glow. "_If you shall not leave by your own accord, you will leave by the method of my choosing. I am the Angel of Death!_"

Zerase swung the sword at Bernadette who nimbly dodged to the side. The dark mage rose into the sky and began gathering energy with her blade. Her eyes flashed with a purple energy as she prepared for a lethal blast.

A silent assassin swam through the air and sailed toward its target, embedding itself in Zerase' shoulder. She shrieked in pain as the evil power dispersed from her eyes. The blade fell and clanked on the cobblestone bridge.

"_WHO DARES TO INTERRUPT MY DIVINE QUEST!_" Zerase fumed.

The Dahak was storming at full speed down the Feitas, accompanied by the Falenan Royal Ship.

A call of "Fire!" could be heard in a raspy female voice from the deck of one of the ships. A barrage of arrows fluttered through the sky to answer the call of the sorceress.

Sensing a greater danger, Zerase swooped to reclaim her weapon, but halted in mid-air as Bernadette had already claimed it.

Another arrow struck true in the mage's leg. With an intense growl of anger, she disappeared in a swirl of black, as did the appearance of the night. Raindrops slowly began to fall once again on the soil of the condemned city.


	14. Chapter 13

-------------------

CHAPTER 13

-------------------

"Bernadette, are you all okay?" Faroush asked as he disembarked his vessel.

"None of us are injured, thankfully. If you had not been there…well, you know." Bernadette shrugged.

"Hey, what's that sword?" Pesmerga pushed through the crowd.

"This?" Bernadette held up the weapon. "Zerase said that it was the Rune of the Night, but it just looks like a strange sword to me. I mean, why would a rune take the form of a sword?"

_Because I was forced, mortal. That wretched incarnation cursed me into this form._

The sword wrenched itself from Bernadette's grasp and hovered in the air.

"It talked…swords don't talk…" Miakis shivered.

_I am no mere sword. I am the Night Rune! Bow before me, temporal beings!_

"Calm yourself, O Rune of the Night." Pesmerga approached the rune.

_What is this? You…you appear mortal, but you are a rune as well. You are the Rune of Peace. Why have you taken such a feeble form?_

"It was not my original intent…however; my counterpart has escaped from his prison. He now resides in this world." Pesmerga lowered his head.

_Rune of Peace…Pesmerga…I will assist you in apprehending the demon, just as I did in the ages before. But first, we must vanquish that harpy. The foolish mage wishes to undo life and remake it in her own image._

The sword rested in Pesmerga's hand.

"I know where she is." The black knight turned toward the northwest.

----------------------

"Hearken unto me, fellow Nagareans! We must defend the memory and the intentions of our fallen Supreme Elder, Kardon! We must unite as a nation and strike down the Falenan infidels and their pagan ideals!"

The massive crowd cheered in response to the rousing speech by the general.

How fortuitous it was for Yuber to have stumbled upon the second in command fleeing from the battle. He never was one to believe in luck, but it seems that this bit of good fortune fell right at his feet. Now, after he allowed the incompetent mortals to perform their meaningless wailings and ceremonies, he was free to disrupt the karma force once again.

----------------------

The veil of night had once again covered the land, but this time, it was around Haud Village. The cacophony of talentless musicians turned to serene silence, a trait never before exhibited in the eccentrically hedonistic town.

"You worship your own individuality and egos! For this, you will be judged and eliminated like those in Rainwall!" Zerase proclaimed as she hovered above the hamlet.

Her eyes caught a nervous artist swiping his brush across a canvas as quickly as possible. This particular ant wasn't scurrying to shelter like the others…

"You! Why do you not cower before me?" The mage asked.

Upon receiving no answer, Zerase took to the ground in front of the painter.

"Answer me, mortal!"

The man flickered, then turned a bright violet color. He moved forward and exploded in a flash against Zerase. She flew back several feet and landed on her back in the street.

"What manner of sorcery is this?" Screamed the magician as she crawled to her feet.

"I could ask the same thing, but the answers from rune vessels usually sound the same…" A gentle female voice came from a nearby alley.

"Show yourself trickster! Your petty pyrotechnics pale in comparison to my power!" The mage gritted her teeth in anger.

A pale skinned woman dressed in a short white skirt and a blue and purple robe appeared.

"I am no trickster. I bear a rune that hold far more power than you could ever hope to possess, and, unlike you, I know how to control myself. Then again, incarnations are usually lacking in self-control anyway. Am I correct?"

Zerase's brow scrunched as fury welled within her eyes.

"Impudent human! You dare to think that you…." The mage stopped in mid-sentence as she felt a strong presence. "You…have a true rune…"

"And if I were you, I would choose a better way to use my rune. You're ruled by emotions. I've known someone who let their emotions control their rune…you'd rather not let that happen…" The alabaster skinned woman brought her hand to her lips.

"What manner of beast are you? I can't…y-you…" Zerase's eyes had met with the woman's. She could seemingly peer into the depths of her soul. She experienced her pain, her all consuming sorrow. She saw the travesties that wreaked havoc on what was once her good life…and witnessed the helplessness to stop those events.

A single tear rolled down Zerase's cheek. After a moment, she recoiled and shrieked in pain as she grabbed her left hand. An aura of evil descended upon her as she grunted in attempted rebellion.

The pale-skinned woman took a step back and raised a confused eyebrow as the mage flew into the sky and disappeared with the induced nighttime. Then she snapped her head around as she felt yet another powerful aura…but this one was not evil.

A silver-haired young man and a purple haired young woman crossed the bridge into the town and approached her.

"Miss, are you okay? We were chasing a mage and were worried that she had already laid waste to this town." Said the boy.

"What a striking young man you are…you remind me of someone I know…" The woman reached forward and stroked his cheek.

Miakis's eyes widened as she brushed the woman's hand away from Faroush's face.

"Excuse me, Miss. This is the Prince of Falena. Please, don't touch him."

The woman cleared her throat and put her hand on her hip.

"A prince? Well, I'm not really one for royalty, so there's no need to worry, young lady."

"I…you…what?" Miakis stammered.

"Miakis, it's okay. Miss, if I may ask, who are you? You don't look like a Falenan." Faroush examined the woman.

"My name is Sierra. You are correct, I am not from Falena, I am from Harmonia. But now I have a question for you, young Prince. Do you know of the location of a certain true rune in this area? I feel its presence."

"Well…actually…" Faroush turned his head to see his knights, accompanied by Pesmerga entering Haud. "You would probably want to talk to him."

"There it is…the Rune of the Night…and him…the Rune of Peace…" Sierra breathed.

"You…" Pesmerga mustered the only word that could escape his lips.

_Is that Sierra Mikain? She's the only vampire that's worth a damn in this world. Those other wretched creatures, preying on the innocent just to sustain their hunger for blood…_

"Night Rune, why are you here? People are seeking you on the Northern Continent. It seems that my old comrade has chosen to resurface there." Sierra commented.

_You are capable enough to dispatch him without my aid._

"I have no desire to travel to Toran. I also have no desire to confront him. He's nothing but a monster now." She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

_Then it seems as if you might as well follow in his ways if you believe in letting him roam freely doing as he pleases._

"You misunderstand me, Rune. I simply do not wish to approach him now. I still haven't come to terms with what he did to me." Sierra raised her head and stared directly at the sword.

_Pitiful creature, tell me that you haven't remained in that ruined village…_

"I refuse to abandon my home. As empty as it seems, it is still my refuge from the world." She turned her head toward the north.

_Very well, Queen of the Moon. I will travel to Toran, however, I have more pressing issues here in Falena._

"What issues do you mean? You can't mean that pitiful excuse for a mage." Sierra's voice turned more scolding.

"That mage is the one that imprisoned the Rune of the Night in this form. She is more powerful than you think, but we also seek the Rune of War." Pesmerga interjected.

"Rune of War? I was under the impression that his incarnation had been destroyed and that you had sealed him away." The pale-skinned maiden replied.

"He has mastered the ability of possession. He escaped my grasp and is running rampant through the country. I'm not sure if he's looking to destroy it, but he has definitely brought about bloodshed." The black knight explained.

"I see. I did manage to catch news about the Nagarean invasion. I had no idea he was responsible for that. If that is the case, then I suppose you're going to seek my help?" Sierra cocked her head to the side.

"Sierra, we will not force you into helping us, but we really could use the assistance of someone of your magical prowess. Yuber is too elusive for us to stop him on our own." Pesmerga said.

Sierra walked through the small crowd toward the ship.

"Very well, then. I'm guessing this is your ship? I hope there is a bed inside, because I really am quite sleepy…"

----------------------

"Faroush, I'm not sure if I trust that lady…" Miakis paced in the small cabin.

"Miakis, don't worry about her. If she were going to do something to us, she already would have." Faroush waved his hand in the air.

"But did you see the way she looked at you? The way she rubbed your cheek? It was ridiculous! She has SOME nerve!" Miakis shook her head, her purple hair swaying back and forth.

"Yeah, I saw the way she looked at me. Her hand, though…it felt cold. It was really strange." The Prince scrunched his brow.

"And what is this 'Well, I'm not really one for royalty, so there's no need to worry, young lady'? Why does she presume to know what I'm thinking? I mean, what if she 'was one for royalty'?" Miakis mimicked air quotes.

"Miakis, please calm down. I'm not attracted to her in any way. You can call off the watchdogs." Faroush laughed.

Miakis grunted. "I didn't think you were attracted to her for a single second, for your information. Surely you didn't think I was jealous."

"If you were any greener I'd have to call you an emerald." Faroush braced himself as he took a punch to the arm and fell on the floor.

"Hmph! Serves you right." Miakis turned slightly and crossed her arms. After a moment, the hint of a smile peeked from her right cheek.

-------------------

"So tell me, Sierra, why exactly are you here in Falena?" Pesmerga tipped his iron mug to his mouth.

"You as well as anyone, Rune of Peace, should know why I've come." Sierra crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair.

"You aren't seriously blaming your restlessness on your rune…" The black knight clanked his beverage on the table.

"Not at all, but given that I've got all the time in the world, I consider my life a vacation more than anything." The pale-skinned woman brought an ivory hand to her mouth as she hushed a yawn.

"So I see you've taken the path of hedonism, then. You really aren't that different from those who chose to feast on men." Pesmerga finished his lager and tossed the cup onto the floor.

"You confuse yourself, Rune. Who are you to question the motives of men, let alone their fates? We speak idly of our eternal existence while they live day to day wondering when their pitiful lives would end and trying to make the most of the time they do have. When I stumbled upon this rune, I had just reached the point of my life where I understood death…now I know nothing of it. And what if I find a young lad I fancy? Should I be denied the love I could have had in a normal lifetime, or should I choose to suffer the path of eternal solitude?" Sierra leaned forward in her chair as small drops of crimson appeared in the corners of her eyes.

"And you assume your pain would be less by loving and losing those you love over and over again? It would be an endless cycle of suffering. What's the point in loving if you're certain to lose them?" Pesmerga's voice became rough.

"In Harmonia…I met a boy…Instead of being afraid of me, he was intrigued by me. He, mind you, was far different than any man I had spent time with. His spark was enough to make me feel young again. I've debated inside my mind about whether I should grow closer to him or not, because I've been close to someone before, and that man would rather tear my heart from my chest instead of love me. This boy however, Nash, loves the world so much…and everything in it. I'm sure if he had the chance…he'd love me, too. I try to rationalize everything…I curse this rune every time I take a step, but if it weren't for this rune…I would never have had the opportunity to meet such an individual. That's when I don't see it as a curse at all, but a blessing. While normal humans only get to experience love once or twice, I can experience love many times throughout eternity." A single drop of blood trailed down her face and splashed on her white blouse.


	15. Chapter 14

----------------------

CHAPTER 14

----------------------

"_Prince, come this way! We've got to go see the Queen!"_

"_Okay, Lyon, slow down!"_

"_But Prince, she said that she had to show you something!"_

"_But Lyon, I feel so tired…where is everybody?"_

"_They're all in there!"_

_Lyon points to the throne room door._

_Suddenly, flaming tentacles burst through the entrance and latch onto Lyon. She wailed in pain._

_Faroush looked into the throne room to see his mother, father, sister, and the rest of the Queen's Knights bound by the power of the Sun Rune. Flames licked up the walls and engulfed the draperies and tapestries._

"_Help us, Faroush!" Arshtat yelled._

"_But Mother, I can't…I can't move my legs!"_

"_Faroush, you have to help us!" Lyon shrieked._

"_Please, son, you're our only hope!" Ferid pleaded._

"_I can't…I can't do it!"_

_The massive doors flew back to their hinges and slammed shut, sealing Faroush outside of the room._

"_NO!"_

Faroush sat up in his bed with tears running down his cheeks.

"I lost them again…" He whispered.

A gentle hand slid across his back and rested on his shoulder.

"Are you okay, Faroush?"

The Prince looked up into Miakis's beautiful brown eyes.

"I couldn't help them, Miakis…Lyon, mom, dad…they all died, and I couldn't help them…how can I lead a country…how can I save a country if I can't even save my friends and family?

Faroush rested his head on Miakis's shoulder as she took him in her arms.

"Young Prince, this is no time for self-doubt." Sierra entered the room. "Tell me, was your dream about the Sun Rune?"

"Yes, it was there…" Faroush tried to fight off his tears.

"Then I was not the only one. I'm afraid that we're going to have to make for your capital city as soon as possible." The vampire heeded.

"Why?" Miakis asked.

"You asked for my assistance, did you not? You would do best to heed my advice. I'm much older than I appear. You could stand to learn a bit from me." Sierra waved a hand as she turned to exit the room.

"Miakis, have the captain bring us in to Sol-Falena." Faroush's voice shook.

"Y…yes, yes, Faroush. I'll be right back." Miakis hurried out of the cabin.

----------------------

Firelight flickered on the canvas tents of the Nagarean camp. All was quiet in the night save the snaps of the kindling in the bonfires.

A man sat alone in the largest structure. He buried a knife to the hilt into the wooden table.

"You can't trick me, foolish demon."

"And you cannot sneak up on me, ignorant incarnation. What business do you have with me?" The man stood up and turned to face his black cloaked visitor.

"Rune of War, I…require your assistance." Said the woman as she hovered across the tent.

"My assistance? Why would you come to _me_ for help? What would I possibly do for you?" The man laughed lightly.

"Yuber, I wish to take the Sun Palace and the Sun Rune. I also need the Dawn and Twilight Runes from the Prince of Falena. Now, unfortunately, he also has the Night Rune, which I require as well. I was unable to obtain them in direct combat."

"Zerase, it seems as if you have quite a problem. It also seems to me that if you were to have all of those runes, this land would be ideal for me to rule. War could easily spread like the plague through this continent…yes, I do like the thought of an alliance. I will assist you only if you promise me one thing."

Zerase uncloaked her face. "And what would that be, insidious creature?"

"My…counterpart is fighting alongside the Prince. If I engage in combat, I will require his absence. He has a tendency to disrupt my plans greatly." Yuber removed the knife from the table and carved into his hand.

"How will I know who he is?" Zerase winced as she witnessed the gory display.

"If you found me, you can find him." Yuber raised his palm with a bloody runic symbol entrenched in his palm.

----------------------

"Lord Valya, I fail to see how it's possible that our entire relief force was slaughtered en route through Sable."

Shula raised from his kneel and looked up at the ornately adorned royal seated before him. Red and violet velvet cascaded down the tiers of his throne as he sipped from a golden goblet.

"King Jalat, I apologize for delivering such dissolute news. It seems as if there were no witnesses of the atrocious event. All of the villagers present in Sable at the time were massacred as well."

King Jalat rested his chalice on his side table and stroked his beard.

"I understand. In that case, I have no choice but to order the immediate withdrawal of all New Armes troops from Falena. This appears to be a matter of far greater severity than I had once believed. This holocaust is obviously a sign that we are not to interfere in the affairs of Falena."

"But, Your Majesty, I…"

"I realize your objections, Lord Valya, and they are well noted. However this is out of my hands. If I am to look after the welfare of my people, then I must bring our soldiers home. Many lives have already been lost due to my recent carelessness. Consider this a personal attempt at rectification."

"…Yes, Your Majesty. I take my leave."

Shula bowed and exited the throne room. Sharmista and Nifsara could tell by his countenance that he had received less than satisfactory news.

-------------------

"Belcoot?"

Belcoot stood straight up as a familiar voice entered his ears.

"I know that voice…I have a feeling as to why you're here."

A girl with auburn tresses approached the swordsman. She wore a crimson coat adorned in gold. At her side, her own ruby encrusted blade swayed.

"You were not supposed to be gone this long. Anita and I have come to take you back. You know how Master Roundier feels about the use of our techniques on the field of battle."

Belcoot turned to face his visitor.

"I'm well aware of how Master Roundier feels, Valeria. Honestly, I respect him for being able to withdraw himself from the world the way he has, however I believe it to be ignorant to disregard the rest of the world and not use my abilities to help those in need."

Valeria shuffled her shoulders.

"So you feel that causing death is the way to help those in need?"

Belcoot could see that Valeria was starting to fluster. He raised an eyebrow.

"Valeria, have you ever tried to think for yourself? Sure, Master Roundier is a great individual that has lived a very peaceful life, but do you really think that your way of life should be the same as his? Instead of asking yourself what Roundier Haia would do, have you ever acted on your own impulses, your own desires?"

Valeria's face turned to match her collar.

"I…don't…"

"Listen, you can do what you want, I'm not returning to Kanakan. I've made a life for myself here. I'm married to a wonderful woman, and I serve as a Queen's Knight for the good of Falena. I'm not about to let Roundier Haia take all of that away from me."

The swordswoman regained her composure and sighed.

"Very well, Belcoot. I bid you farewell."

"You know, Valeria. You ought to venture off to find yourself. The Northern Continent is a great place for that, especially around Lake Toran. There are many places to train and many people to meet. You should try to befriend the elves there. They're a peaceful folk."

Valeria paused, then exited the room. Anita approached her.

"So where is he? He IS coming, right?"

"No, he's not."

"Well, then let me…"

Valeria stuck her arm out to keep Anita from entering Belcoot's quarters.

"What are you doing? If you can't get him to come back, I'm sure as hell going to." Anita stomped.

"He's happy here. That's all that matters." Valeria shrugged and began walking down the hall.

"What the…are you nuts! Where are you going now?" Anita jogged after her counterpart.

"I thought about going to Gregminster. I heard it's a nice place."

"Nice place? Did that talk with Belcoot knock something loose in your head? We've got to get back to Kanakan!" Anita huffed.

"Correction: YOU'VE got to get back to Kanakan. I'm not coming with you. I'm through serving Master Roundier." Valeria continued.

Anita stopped in her tracks. Her face turned beet red and saline welled in her eyes.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE, VALERIA!"

"Yes, I can." Valeria replied as she disappeared around a corner.

"Fine! Mark my words, I'll find you one day, and I'll show you how wrong you were for deserting me and Master Roundier!" Anita shook her fist and walked in the other direction.

----------------------

"Reveal yourself." Pesmerga ordered as he sat at the table.

"_You knew I was here. How long were you aware?_" Asked a female voice.

"Ever since you arrived. I thought you might have attacked me before now, however." The black knight commented.

"_I'm not a foolish warrior who thinks with his sword. I rarely use a weapon anyway. Tonight, you shall perish by my magic._" The voice threatened.

Green flashes sliced into the black armor when Pesmerga tried to reach his feet. He grunted as the gashes filled themselves to restore his flawless plates.

"Your wind magic is useless against me. Zerase, you have no power here." Pesmerga drew his sword.

"_Then I shall have to unleash my true power!_" Zerase yelled as the Star Rune emblazoned its image in the darkness.

"Stay yourself, Incarnation. You had best quell your rage before your existence is erased." Sierra emerged from the shadows.

"_Curse you, vampire! Will you not simply rid us of your meaningless presence?_" Zerase hissed.

Pesmerga and Sierra both raised their hands, displaying bright projections of their True Runes. In response, a dark rune appeared and engulfed Zerase in a black cloud.

"_I will have my way. You will all suffer a fate worse than death!"_

The cloud dissipated and Sierra was left alone with the knight.

"Thank you, Rune Bearer. I would not have been able to contain the power of the Star Rune alone." Pesmerga bowed his head.

"Surely she isn't an incarnation of Leknaat's. Her demeanor and that strange dark rune…they wouldn't have come from the Great Seer." Sierra stroked her chin.

"Indeed. Her power exceeds that of a normal incarnation. This one exists through the power of the dark arts. Yuber must be involved somehow."

Pesmerga looked around. He was alone again.

"That mysterious vampire…"


	16. Chapter 15

WARNING: This is an incredibly short chapter by my standards. I needed to throw something in for plot progression and simply because I haven't updated in a long time due to sickness and work constraints.

Enjoy!

--------------------

CHAPTER 15

--------------------

"Your Majesty, additional reinforcements have arrived just in time. Lord Gizel and the remaining forces from Stormfist are here as well as my friends Wilhelm and Mueller and the rest of the Lindwurm Mercenaries." Richard bowed.

"That's good, Richard. You've done well. Is there any word from my brother?" Lymsleia clasped her hands together.

Richard's eyes looked around then met the floor.

"No, Your Majesty. We've had no reports from the Commander…"

Suddenly a shockwave rocked the halls of the Sun Palace.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The Queen asked as she caught her crown and set it on the throne.

A soldier burst into the throne room panting.

"Your Majesty the Queen! The Nagarean force has arrived! They are assaulting the city from the West and Southwest! The Dragon Cavalry is engaging the enemy from the South along with the Beavers, and Lord Gizel and the mercenaries are fighting along the shores to keep them out of the city. I don't know how long we can hold!"

"We MUST hold. My brother will be here in time, I know it…" Lymsleia gazed out of the eastern skylight.

-----------------------

"**PUSH FORWARD!!!" **Yuber boomed as his troops charged toward the Sol-Falenan defenses.

A racket of swords and shields clashing engulfed the battlefield, as well as the sounds of flesh being turn and the screams of the wounded and dying.

The heavily armored paladin of the Nagarean forces were shredding the light infantry on the shores of the lake.

From the rear, the Dragon Cavalry held their own, yet made no real progress into the mass of invaders. The beavers assured the well-being of the troops by using their flowing runes to maintain their health.

From below the dam, arrows showered the crowd and found the gaps in the armor of the paladin.

A rallying cry came from the rear of the Falenan forces as the Dahak came into plain view.

Flames erupted on the plain and seared the flesh of the hostiles.

Their valor returned, the defense forces pushed ahead to rout the enemy. As they attempted to smite their foe, however, a large stone rose from the bottom of the lake and impaled the mighty Dahak.

Archers were ousted from their decks and fell helplessly into the blue. Supplies and rations fell from their storage rooms and floated uselessly in the water.

Likewise, similar stone formations rose and destroyed the rest of the ships in the Falenan fleet.

In a stunning transformation, Yuber sprouted wings from his shoulder blades. The leathery bat-like extensions stretched into the air and flapped as he rose from the ground. His own troops recoiled in shock as the battlefield was petrified.

With a mad cackle, he hurtled toward Faroush, who was clinging to a plank hanging from the side of the wounded Dahak. He quickly seized the Prince and carried him toward the upper tower of the Sun Palace.

Above the ships, Zerase materialized and laughed with great pleasure.

"Insidious mortals. You dare to think you could withstand our might? Cower in fear as we gain the ultimate power of the Sun and Night Runes!"

Sierra clenched her teeth.

"I hate water…but I hate that boisterous incarnation even worse…"

"We must pursue Yuber. I must track him down and destroy him before he carries out his will." Pesmerga pulled himself onto the deck with Sierra and Miakis.

"We've got to save Faroush…" Miakis said as she raised her right hand. A tear ran down her cheek as she concentrated to use her Mother Earth Rune.

The pillars of stone sunk beneath the water as small islands rose underneath the ships, catching all of the overboard soldiers. An earthen walkway formed leading to the base of the Sol-Falenan dam.

By this time, the battlefield was alive with fierce discussion about the most recent events.

"Nagareans, you have been deceived by a demon!" Gizel proclaimed. "The man you thought was your leader has simply been using you as pawns to accomplish his devilish goals!"

"But you killed our Supreme Elder! That is inexcusable!" Shouted a soldier from inside the ranks.

"Very true. Kardon was an unfortunate casualty of war. Yuber, the demon, used his position to mount your offensive against Falena, then used his death to further his plans! Help us destroy this beast, avenge your fallen elder and help us save the entire world!" Gizel stretched his hand toward the sky. "Are you with me?"

The Falenan soldiers shouted a rally cry as swords raised from the Nagarean Paladin.

Gizel ordered a march into the city as the shipwrecked soldiers set off to rendezvous at the dam.

---------------------------

"What are you doing?" Faroush struggled in Yuber's grip.

"It is beyond your comprehension, fool. Silence yourself. I merely need your runes. I can do this with or without your cooperation, so you might as well enjoy yourself. Heh, heh, heh." Yuber chuckled as he crashed through a window into the Rune Chamber.

A pale, voluptuous figure stood in the room with Zerase.

"Ah, Jeane, I see you've managed to be in attendance for the show," Yuber smirked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Tee-hee!" Jeane squinted her eyes in glee.

"Your wit hasn't suffered after these long millennia. I'm impressed." The demon stroked his chin.

"Jeane? How could you help him? Don't you know he wants to destroy everything?!" Faroush jerked at Yuber's arm.

"Ignorant child, tee-hee. He doesn't wish to destroy everything. He just wants to end his pain. That's okay, though. You don't need to know all of the details, but it would be better for you if you went along with what he says." Jeane giggled.

Faroush's arm went limp as his only immediate hope was dashed.

"Very good, Prince. Now hold still, this shouldn't hurt a bit." Yuber placed his hand on Faroush's back.

Faroush winced, then everything went black.

------------------------

"L-luserina? What was that? It sounded like something crashed…" Lymsleia huddled in her private quarters along with Galleon and Kyle.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. We've got this under control. To our knowledge, the Nagarean troops haven't even reached the city, let alone the palace." Kyle tried to reassure the Queen as he second-guessed himself in his own mind.

A gentle knock sounded on the door.

Kyle and Galleon approached it cautiously and opened it.

"BROTHER!!" Lymsleia shouted as she dashed toward the entryway.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	17. Chapter 16

---------------------

CHAPTER 16

---------------------

"His Highness, the Commander, thank the Feitas it is you. We were concerned that the Nagareans had infiltrated the Sun Palace." Galleon bowed.

"Rest assured, Sir Galleon, the Nagareans are only a small part of our problems. I recently discovered that my trust in Lord Gizel has be misplaced, as he and those under his command, including Lady Miakis and a number of others have allied themselves with the invaders and plan to usurp Her Highness Queen Lymsleia. We must bolster our defenses inside the Sun Palace and not allow anyone to enter. I have a plan, but I must have complete isolation in order to execute it. Is this understood?" Faroush cleared his throat and stared at Kyle and Galleon.

"Y-yes, yes sir." Galleon stuttered.

"Miakis? Are you sure, Your Highness?" Kyle tried to reason.

"Do you believe that I would be mistaken about a matter as grave as this?" Faroush's eyes turned to fire.

Kyle turned his head, "No, Your Majesty."

"Your Highness…you seem…different…" Luserina leaned forward slightly and squinted her eyes.

Faroush straightened his posture and relaxed his shoulders.

"I'm merely being cautious. It's difficult for me to accept that fact that I've been betrayed by those I trusted so much…I retire to my work."

"But Brother…" Lymsleia reached for her sibling.

"You know…I really could use Her Majesty's assistance." Faroush turned to face his sister.

"Really? I can go with you?" Lym perked up.

"In that case, I must insist that I accompany Your Highness." Galleon stepped forward.

"There should be no need for concern, Sir Galleon. Her Majesty the Queen will be perfectly safe with me. You are to follow us to the base of the stairs to the Rune Chamber and secure it from the outside." Faroush ordered.

"The…Rune Chamber? You aren't going to…" Kyle approached Faroush.

"Would I intentionally place the Queen in danger of the same fate that befell my mother? Do you really believe that? You must learn to trust me, Sir Kyle. Or has your loyalty swayed just like that of the traitors outside?"

Kyle stepped back in shock and half-disgust. "N-no…Your Highness…"

"Very well, we take our leave." Faroush grabbed Lymsleia's hand.

----------------

Immediately, Lymsleia knew something was wrong. Her brother's grip on her hand was excessively harsh. He might be consumed with fear, yet he displayed none. There was only one other option, but was that possible? Was this not truly her beloved brother? He knew what happened to their mother…but who didn't?

"Brother, do you remember the time…we went to Lunas for my purification rite?" Lym asked.

"Sure I do. I remember it like it was yesterday."

"What were you thinking when you watched me being purified?" Lymsleia tried to look into her brother's eyes.

"I was the proudest brother in the world." Faroush said as he kept his face on their destination.

_This is not my brother! He would know that he wasn't in the room during the ritual! What do I do? Who is this person?_

----------------

"Wait, something isn't right…" Miakis stopped everyone behind her.

"Hmph! Since I've been here, nothing ever is in this country." Sierra shrugged.

"No, that's not what I mean. Look at the Sun Palace. More guards have taken stations at the gates. They should recognize us as friendly soldiers and not invaders…" Miakis contorted her face in confusion.

"It could possibly be a welcoming envoy to invite us back into the presence of Her Majesty the Queen…but then again, that deranged creature did land inside the Palace…" Gizel theorized.

Pesmerga stepped to the front and gnashed his teeth. "That is no welcome envoy. I can sense it. Yuber has corrupted their thoughts…poisoned our allies against us from the inside. We can only hope that he hasn't yet the means to accomplish his devilish plans."

The massive force continued toward the Sun Palace with their armaments sheathed at their sides. Miakis approached the guards at the gate.

"What's going on? Why can't we go in? You do recognize me, right?" Miakis asked.

"Remove yourself and your company from our sight, traitor. Her Majesty the Queen and his Majesty the Commander of the Queen's Knights no longer require the presence of traitorous slimes within the ranks of their Royal Army!" The guard hissed.

"Are you insane! The bad guys are IN THERE! Aren't you going to let us in to help? The Queen could be in danger!" Miakis exclaimed.

"The only danger to the Queen is standing right here in front of us. Remove yourselves, or we will." On cue, the soldiers raised their spears.

"When I made my pledge as a Queen's Knight, I defied my own stubborn line of thinking to do what's best for my homeland and this entire country. May I be struck down if what I do is wrong…" Urda announced as she loaded several arrows onto her bow at once.

Immediately, she let them fly, striking each of the leading spearmen in the legs, crippling them and dropping them to the ground in agony.

"Does anyone else wish to bar us from our objective? Are there any more of you ignorant, barbarous humans that fail to realize that the real danger is within your own confines?" Urda inquired as she readied her bow for another flurry.

Quietly, the remaining guards dropped their spears and moved their colleagues out of the gateway.

Urda, Miakis, Richard, Sagiri, Gizel, Belcoot, Pesmerga, and Sierra emerged from the massive crowd and entered the Sun Palace.

As soon as they stepped foot inside, an eerie silence engulfed them and filled the walls. Miakis immediately led everyone to the Queen's Chambers. Inside, all they found was Luserina with her face in her hands, tears streaming from her normally cheery eyes.

"Luserina! Where is the Queen? Where is Lymsleia!" Miakis gasped.

"I…I…I'm sorry, Lady Miakis…His Majesty came to get her and Sirs Kyle and Galleon left with them. Something…something is wrong. I don't know what it is…and I couldn't stop it…" Luserina huffed through her lachrymal flood.

"Where did they go, young one?" Sierra interjected.

"…To the Rune Chamber…" Luserina coughed.

"By the Gods…he has everything he needs…" Pesmerga gripped his scabbard.

-------------------

"Ah, it's the young one. So I see that it's the appointed time, then. Tee-hee!"

Lymsleia wrested herself from her 'brother's' grip.

"I demand to know what's going on! Who are you? And why is this…this…HUSSY here to with you?" The Queen screamed.

Faroush giggled. "Why, Your Majesty, don't you recognize your own dear brother? Ha, ha, ha!"

"Impudent little brat…Yuber, do you really have to entertain such foolishness from this child?" Zerase seethed with impatience.

"It's all in good fun, besides, I only require her for a brief moment. What happens afterward is none of my concern."

"How DARE you! Release me at once!" Lymsleia hollered.

"Please, Your Majesty, hold still. This will be over very quickly, tee-hee!" Jeane said as she held the shoulders of the Queen.

"Wha-"

A bright pink light shot up from the statue bust and through the hole in the ceiling. As the light began to fall, Yuber, in Faroush's body, shoved Lymsleia out of the way. The Sun Rune settled on his forehead and blazed with power.

"Hm, hm, hm, hm, hahahahaHAHAHAHA! I've done it! Now it's time to finish this! Zerase, are you prepared?"

"I…" Zerase muttered as she stood in disbelief.

"No time to be having reservations, you foolish incarnation. I will do this myself!"

Yuber wrapped his arm around Zerase's waist as he bore the Night Rune Sword in his other hand. With a quick motion, he plunged it through Zerase and into his host body, Faroush.

Blood trickled out of Zerase's mouth as she coughed.

"So this is what it's like…to be mortal…it…finally ends…"

"Heh…heh…cough…the runes are as one…" Yuber breathed.

A white light engulfed the scene of casualties as Lymsleia huddled against a nearby wall.

----------------------

"Kyle! Galleon! You've got to help us! Why are you just standing there?" Miakis yelled as her party approached the winding staircase to the Rune Chamber.

"Young Miakis…our hands are tied. Our Commander ordered us to stand guard, and that's what we shall do." Galleon looked at the ground.

"Not this again! Galleon, you know something's going on! What about you, Kyle?" Miakis pleaded.

"I…don't know…if it had not been the Prince…I might…" Kyle stuttered.

Sierra appeared at the bottom of the stair case behind Kyle and Galleon.

"If you humans insist on having your petty squabbles over something as temporal as loyalty, I suppose this is a matter that I must attend to alone." Sierra sighed.

She continued up the stairs while the argument continued.

Scarcely had she opened the door when she saw the sword pierce the two beings.

Using her vampiric stealth, she moved next to Lymsleia.

"Child, do not be afraid. The door is open. Go and rejoin your friends. You will not wish to see the events that are about to transpire."

Lymsleia slid across the floor and out the entryway without a sound.

"Such audacity from a demon, and you had to take advantage of a youth and a small girl in the process…nothing will please me more than to rid you from this world." Sierra fumed.

Before her eyes, the sword absorbed into Faroush's body as a new rune replaced the Sun Rune on his forehead. The rune shifted into a crown.

"I, the possessor of the Rune of Heaven and Hell, will devour your soul and purge you into the depths of chaos!" Yuber threatened in a terrible voice.

"Do what you will, devil." Sierra readied herself.

With a blink, Sierra was raised into the air and her skin began to burn and melt. She cried in agony as her existence was being erased. After a moment, she hit the ground as her oppressor arrogantly sensed victory.

He hovered over the floor and made his way toward the stairs.

Before he could react, Sierra and risen from the ground and latched onto his back. Her fangs sank deep into his neck as she lapped up his life force through his carotid artery.

He broke his hover and fell to his knees. Faroush screamed in pain as Yuber's presence was ripped from his body.

The Rune of Heaven and Hell reverted as the Sun Rune left his forehead and returned to the bust. The Night Rune Sword reappeared buried hilt deep in his gut. His eyes turned a strange shade of purple as his skin paled. The blade clanked on the ground as his body forced it out to complete its healing process.

Sierra stood, her own wounds healed thanks to the power of the runes.

Yuber was reeling from the shock against one of the chamber walls.

Pesmerga burst into the room and dashed past Sierra. He drew his sword and swung with all of his force at his immortal foe. His glance met that of Yuber's. The weapon slashed through the stone wall leaving a massive gash in the structure.

"Not this time, old friend. If I can help it, we will never meet again." Yuber hissed as he teleported out of sight.

"CURSES! I will find you, demon!" Pesmera shouted through the hole in the ceiling. "My liege, with your permission, since Yuber's threat is gone from this area, I must pursue him to assure the safety of this world."

Faroush still sat on the ground, staring at the floor.

_What an intriguing thought. Rune of Peace, may I accompany you on your quest? I wish to rest in a place where I will not be disturbed._

Pesmerga lifted the Night Rune Sword. "I will do my best to find you asylum, Rune of the Night."

Lymsleia burst into the room.

"BROTHER! BROTHER! ARE YOU OKAY!" She clamped onto him.

He lifted his head and looked his sister into the eyes with trails of blood running down his cheeks. He complexion had cleared and his countenance had changed. He could not smile at his little sister.

"Lady! Lady! What's wrong with him? What's wrong with Faroush? Why is he bleeding from his eyes?" Lymsleia begged as tears clouded her vision.

"I had no choice, young Queen. He is now cursed as I am. I did save him from immediate death…however, I have doomed him into an eternal existence. He is now a vampire." Sierra turned her head away.

Faroush quickly laid his hands in Lymsleia's. Upon contact, the Dawn and Twilight Runes transferred to her.

Miakis remained in the doorway, sobbing.

"Boy, I realize what I have done to you is difficult to fathom. Living publicly as a vampire is a very dangerous thing to do, especially for someone in such an exposed role as yours. My advice to you is to accompany me and leave this place. You will be around for far longer than anyone here. It would be best to say your farewells and forget this place as quickly as possible. Do you accept my offer?" Sierra advised.

Faroush looked around the rooms at his sister and friends. Each of them had a look of sadness in their eyes…with the exception of Miakis, who had an expression of anger directed toward Sierra. He nodded in acceptance.

"NO! If he goes, I go with him. I don't care if you have to curse me or kill me or whatever, I can't let him go without me!" Miakis stamped her foot causing the tears hanging from her chin to fall.

"Lady Miakis, I don't believe you realize the consequences of…" Sierra started.

"I know full well the consequences of your 'curse'. I think it's absurd that you force yourself into an eternity of depression and then decide to take along a companion here or there. What's keeping you from 'cursing' someone YOU love? Would an eternity with a loved one not make it worth being cursed? I know that I would gladly bear the curse so I could stay with Faroush…I…love him…" Miakis cried.

"If you only knew…I have existed this way for centuries. The burden of cursing another is not an easy one to shoulder for all eternity. If you are to be cursed, it will not be at my discretion. Young man, I am leaving for the Northern Continent. If you wish to accompany me, you are to meet me in Estrise. I trust you will not be long if you desire sanctum. I bid you all farewell." Sierra glided out of the room.

Faroush's eyes filled with crimson, but he would not allow his tears to fall. Miakis nodded in approval, shedding tears of her own.

As they both looked around, they noticed that everyone else was in the same somber mood. Even Belcoot shed a single tear for his commander.

Lymsleia moved into the doorway.

"No…no…I won't let you leave me. Not now, not like this… It's no better than when mother and father were killed…it's no better. I'm still the Queen, you know. I'll force everyone to respect you. There's no way I'd let anyone hurt you! You have to stay! Please, Brother! Faroush! Please, don't leave me! You, too, Miakis…please…make him stay! I'll do anything…" Lym sobbed as she dropped to her knees and folded over in grief.

"Your Majesty, please stop. Part of your love for your brother should allow you to respect his decision. Most of his life, he's sacrificed his own pride and wishes to provide for those of others. Give this to him, just this once, Your Highness." Gizel reasoned.

"You! Why should I listen to you? You've already taken advantage of me once! You aren't even worthy to be here!" The Queen shouted through tears.

"That I have, and by your brother's mercy and good grace, I am still here today. Do you not realize that it is selfishness in its own right to force him to stay here when he desires to leave?" Gizel justified himself.

"Sister, Lymsleia, My Queen…I will always love you, and I promise to return one day, but for now, I must go with Lady Sierra. I must learn how to live this different life. As far as Miakis, I don't think she's going to let me leave her behind. Please, take care of Falena. Rule it like Mother and Father would want you to rule it. I have faith in you." Faroush choked.

Lymsleia could only nod and move out of the doorway.

As Faroush and Miakis started to leave, Urda grabbed his arm and whispered into his ear through her own tears.

"Do whatever it takes to keep her with you. Time is something not well spent on grief. You must make it so you never grieve Lady Miakis, or you will regret it as long as you exist. Godspeed, My Commander." Urda said before she released her grip and turned away.

Silently, Faroush and Miakis continued their journey outside the Rune Chamber. Galleon and Kyle knew the circumstances. Outside the Sun Palace, it was no different. Quiet crowds lined the streets to bid farewell to their beloved Prince and Commander. Never before had a Commander of the Queen's Knights stepped down from his position, but none had ever served the people quite like Faroush Falenas.

The procession carried the entire length of the journey to Estrise. People from towns along the way: Haud, Rainwall, Lunas, Alseid; and even those from faraway like Sauronix, Gordius, Lordlake, and Sable all gathered along the route.

As the ship pulled away from the dock, the sun was setting, sending a golden shine across the waves of the sea and darkening the horizon for the journey ahead. So ended the Age of Darkness.


	18. EpilogueStars of Destiny

**STARS OF DESTINY**

TALGEYL - Holds office of Chancellor of the Parliament until he passes away in his sleep at the wise age of 140.

GUNDE – Remains as an elder member of the Falenan parliament.

MUROON – Continues to mediate debates in the Parliament.

PESMERGA – Stalks the demon, Yuber. Seals the Night Rune Sword in a cave behind a peaceful monastery.

NAKULA – Learning compassion from Faroush, he forgives Sagiri for her trespasses.

SAGIRI – After being forgiven by Nakula, she focuses on doing good in society. She later marries Nakula. They have four children.

SHULA VALYA – Retires from his post as Chieftan. He now owns the grandest bathhouse in Armes.

SHARMISTA – Pledging to help Shula to the end, takes a position as a healer at his bathhouse.

NIFSARA – Tiring of service, she sets off on a journey to find "cute" men.

SKALD EGAN – Left suddenly during the conflict. It is said that he had been assaulted by a ship with rune cannons. No one has seen him since.

BERNADETTE – Stranded in Falena by her father, she resides in a generously large house provided to her by Boz Wilde.

YAHR – After reacquainting himself with Linfa, takes up gambling and travels the Southern Continent.

NELIS – Disgusted by Yahr's new habit, she remains in the service of Bernadette.

VALERIA – Abandoning her teachings and companion, she catches the quickest ship to Toran.

ANITA – Vowing revenge on Valeria, she returns to Kanakan to continue training.

LOGG – Never really repenting of his smuggling ways, he's eventually apprehended by port officials. He now mops the pier for public service.

BOZ – Serves as steward of Estrise til he's old and grey.

WASIL – Swearing off politics, he returns to his home in Leclar.

SOLIS RAULBEL – Was killed by Yuber during the Armesian advance.

LELEI – After her self-proclaimed failure at Stormfist, she slips away and is never seen in Falena again. Odds are that she is with Lucretia once again.

EGBERT AETHELBALD – Still lives in the passages beneath Stormfist despite his lordship being restored.

MURAD – Remains as the royal physician until he is succeeded by his best student, Marina.

ROOG – Settles down with the only woman who could match his passion: Lun.

RAHAL – Proclaiming that he could no longer live in secrecy, he leaves with a companion leaving the Dragon Cavalry under the charge of Nick.

GOESCH – Still governs Lordlake with a comedic compassion.

TOMA – After several years, is finally accepted into the Queen's Knights. He eventually wins the Sacred Games and marries Queen Lymsleia.

SILVA – Lives quietly with Galleon in Lordlake.

ZERASE – Her spirit being set free, she returns to her place of origin: Magician's Isle.

YUBER – Escapes to an unknown location.

LUSERINA – Learns how to use a sword and is eventually added to the Queen's Knights. To this day, she is more proficient with a blade than any other in Falena.

LYMSLEIA – Lives to be Queen for decades to come. While she rules Falena with a warm smile, her closest friends see the pain that lingers in her loving heart.

ROY – Served faithfully as a Queen's Knight. After a few years, his appearance was never mistaken for that of Faroush.

DINN – Left the Queen's Knights to marry Solis' daughter. Is now the governor of Sable.

RICHARD – Jealous of Luserina's skill with a blade, they become playful rivals. He hopes to best her soon.

KYLE – Remains a ladies man well past his middle age.

URDA – Wistfully leaves Falena with Isato and their son, Kirkis. Word has it that they now reside in southern Toran.

BELCOOT – Leaves the Queen's Knights to accompany Valeria as a sparring partner, but Marina forces him to stay in Falena.

MARINA – Takes up medicine and succeeds Murad as the royal physician.

GIZEL – Is never admitted to the Queen's Knights, yet he and his well-trained soldiers accompany the Knights on many victorious campaigns.

GALLEON – Returns to Lordlake where he and Silva live out the rest of their days.

SIERRA – Journeyed to the Northern Continent, but was lost along the way.

MIAKIS – Traveled with her true love, Faroush. Pledging her undying love, she begged him to let her share in his suffering.

FAROUSH – Set off to the Northern Continent with Sierra and Miakis. Rumor has it that their ship was found days later, completely empty. No bodies were found.


	19. Chapter 17

On a secluded shore, an empty boat sits stranded in the sand. The barnacles on the underside bleach in the sun as the crabs colonize underneath the bent planks. Gulls sit in their nests on the deck as curious children from an inland tribe wander toward the abandoned galley. The children stop several yards from the wreckage with strong caution…all except for one. His bright blue eyes shone in the sunlight as his blonde locks blew in the sea breeze. At his hip he wore a slingshot with a pouch of small projectiles. From his perspective, he could see a man lying on the deck. He didn't dare get closer because of his lack of size, so he decided to check on the man in the only safe and logical way.

"THWIP!"

The small pebble hurtled through the air and connected with the man's arm. After a rather impressive ricochet (by the boy's standards), the pebble fell unceremoniously to the ground as the man lay without reaction. At this point, the other kids ran away, but the boy with the slingshot was of another breed. He fearlessly approached the hull and climbed his way on the deck via the buckled and broken boards of the wreckage. He observed the body of the man. His tunic was tattered, as were his pants. He wore no sandals or shoes of any kind, wait…there was a glittering bangle on his wrist. If he is dead, this would be a great prize to take back to town. He would be able to buy a tame gryphon with the potch he could get from that bangle… The boy reached toward the man's wrist, but when his hand was nearly touching the bangle, the man grabbed his arm. Everything in the boy's mind told him to scream, but he was unable to muster a sound as fantastic and terrifying visions began racing through his thoughts.

The ship was in the midst of a massive maelstrom. It pitched and yawed in the sea as two black knights were locked in combat on deck. The blonde knight cast his blade at the black-haired knight. The black knight dodged the blade and rushed the blonde knight, cleaving his adversary's arm with his own blade. The blonde knight cackled as he held onto the black knight's blade. His own errant sword was flipping back toward the two. Just as the black knight could turn his head, the flying sword plunged into his lower back and pierced through his armor and into the blonde knight's abdomen.

"Your plan has failed, Yuber…" said the black-haired knight.

"Maybe, Pesmerga…but once again, you lack a complete victory, for you share in my fate…" coughed the blonde knight.

A bright light consumed the two as a single body emerged. The pieces of armor turned into pure energy and bolted toward the horizon through the storm. The body that remained had two sword wounds. The man drew up a hand to examine his injuries before collapsing to the deck.

The boy gasped as he sat back on his rear, free from the grip of the man. This man was still alive. The boy jumped from the wreckage and cut a line in the sand as he dashed back to the village.


End file.
